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BV  425 3"rL43   1901 

Lee,  John  Lloyd. 

The  message  of  tomorrow 


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The  Message  of  To-Morrow 


The 

Message  of  To-Morrow 


or 


The  Gospel  of  Hope 


BY 

y 

Rev.  JOHN  LLOYD  LEE,  D.D. 

PASTOR  WESTMINSTER  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH,  NEW  YORK  CITY 
AND  AUTHOR    OF 

"  Should  I  Join  the  Church  ?  "  "  Our  Martyred  President,"  Etc^ 


NEW    YORK  CHICAGO  TORONTO 

FLEMING  H.  REVELL  COMPANY 
1901 


Copyright  igoi 

BV 

JOHN  LLOYD  LEE 
(September) 


TO   MY   WIFE, 

LILLIE  DIETZ  LEE, 

WHOSE   CONSTANT    HELPFULNESS   HAS   MADE 
THIS   SERVICE    POSSIBLE, 
THIS  VOLUME  IS  MOST  AFFECTIONATELY 
DEDICATED 


PREFACE 

Whoever  lights  a  taper  in  the  darkness  helps 
to  cheer  the  world.  The  kinds  of  illumination 
are  legion,  yet  there  is  always  room  for  one 
more  light,  and  he  who  has  it  must  let  it  shine, 
or  answer  for  the  stumbling  of  a  brother. 

This  is  no  attempt  at  throwing  down  the 
Golden  Apples  to  stop  a  runner  in  his  course,  but 
rather  a  clearing  of  the  way  by  which  he  may  run 
the  better. 

It  is  with  this  humble  hope  of  helpfulness, 
and  at  the  earnest  request  of  many  who  have 
heard  them,  that  these  discourses  are  sent  forth. 

That  they  may  be  even  more  helpful  in  this 
form  than  when  preached  recently  in  the  West- 
minster Presbyterian  Church,  is  the  earnest 
prayer  o*  the  author. 

New  York,  August  12,  1901. 


CONTENTS 

I 

The  Message  of  To-morrow.  The  Lost  Pleiad— Na- 
thanael's  vision — Menyana — The  Only  Undiscovered 
Country — Prophecy  not  Closed — Who  the  Prophets 
Are— Life's  Plan— The  Temple  at  Sogd— Man 
Reads  His  Own  Prophecy  First — Testimony — The 
Christian  Power — The  Acting  Christ — The  Parthe- 
non— Divine  Architecture — Christian  Purpose — 
Christ's  Right — Christian  Conscience — The  Final 
Fact.    St.  John  i :  50 il 

II 

The  New  Century  and  Its  Mission.  Fulfillments- 
Preparations — Commerce — Gifts  of  Money — The 
English  Language — The  Holy  Spirit  Rules — Uni- 
versal Principle — Oneness — Witnessing  for  Christ. 
Acts  1:8 34 

III 
The  Program  of  Life.  The  New  Year — The  Broken 
Hearted— The  Captives—"  If  I  Were  God  "—Who 
are  the  Blind  and  How — How  our  Ancestors  Trip 
us — Acceptable  Time — An  Echo  Dome.  St.  Luke 
4:18,  19 46 

IV 

Labourers  Together  With  God.  A  Saviour  for  Every 
Time  of  Need — Conformity  to  God's  Plan — The 
Labourer's  Law — How  God  Works  Through  Men — 
God's  Building — Statue  of  Gen.  R.  E.  Lee — "  Com- 
plete in  Him."     i  Corinthians  3:9.  .        .        60 

S 


6  Contents 

V 

The  Power  of  the  Gospel.  The  Power  of  News — The 
Gospel — Pardon — The  Tragedies  of  Life — Sin  a 
Power — Saving  Life — God's  Reward  for  the  Cost 
of  Salvation — "  Second  Hand  Building  Material " 
— God's  Temple — Belief  that  Wins — Certainty.  Ro- 
mans   I :  i6. 71 

VI 

The  Rights  of  a  Man  Before  the  Face  of  the  Most 
High.  Before  the  Judge  in  Court — Man's  Right  to 
Live — Man's  Right  of  Choice — The  Appeal  to  Jus- 
tice— "  If  Ever  God  Weeps  " — Justice  not  Beyond 
Prison  and  Scaffold — The  Meaning  of  Mercy 
— The  Spanish  Army — Aguinaldo.  Lamentations 
3:35 86 

VII 

The  Secret  of  Happiness,  or  How  to  Kjeep  Young. 
The  Power  of  Youth — Making  the  Most  of  Life — 
How  God  is  Pleased — What  Life  Does — Heart 
Cheer — Human  Tests — Like  the  Feudal  Castle — 
Learning  to  Walk — Keeping  Ourselves  Before  our 
Eyes— The  Mirror— The  X  Ray— The  Settling  of 
Accounts — Well  Done.    Ecclesiastes  11 :  Q.     .      100 

VIII 

The  Power  of  an  Endless  Life.  Eternity — Power — 
How  Life  is  Revealed — Why  We  are  Discouraged 
—St.  Gothard's  Tunnel— What  Widens  Life— What 
Makes  us  Old — Life's  Rewards — Paid  as  We  Go — 
After  Their  Kind.    Hebrews  7:16.        .        .      iii 

IX 

The  Peace  of  God.  Paul  the  Peace  Warrior — How 
Spain  found  Peace — According  to  God's  Nature — 


Contents  7 

Passeth  Understanding— A  King  in  a  Hovel- 
Military  Guard— Walled  Cities— Testing  the  Com- 
pass— The  Captain's  Face — The  Careworn  Mother. 
Philippians  4:7 126 

X 

What  All  Should  Do  About  the  Gospel.  The  Lost 
Penny— Attention— The  Stutterer  and  Long  Dis- 
tance Talk— Never  Disappointed— The  Gospel  Un- 
dervalued—The Kaiser  and  his  Subject— The  How 
of,  Things— The  Great  Cause.    St.  John  3 : 2.      138 

XI 

Life's  Venture.  The  Carpenter  as  a  Fisherman- 
Christ  Launching  out— Inventions— The  Churches' 
Part — God's  Answer  to  the  Soul's  Need— Queen 
Victoria— Faith  as  the  Mustard  Seed.  St.  Luke 
3-4 153 

XII 
The  Christ  Power.  The  New  Vision— Our  Defense— 
The  King  and  the  Seer— The  Power  that  Must 
Work— Spiritual  Gravity— Columbus  and  the  "  One 
Thing  "—Certainty— The  New  Condition— The 
Fool  and  His  Error— Does  God  Delight  to  Punish 
—The  Look  Above  the  Clouds.    St.  John  9 :  15.      167 

XIII 
The    Crossbearer.    Atlas— How   the   Cross   of   Christ 
was  Heavy — How   Christ   Suffers — Growing  Pains 
—Man  Tries  to  Avoid  Suffering.     ...      180 

XIV 
God's  Revelation  of  Good  and  Three  Ways  of  Gain- 
ing It.     Goodness  not  Manufactured — Three  Kinds 
— Doing  Justly— The  Consumptive  and  his  Cure — 


8  Contents 

Loving  Mercy — Sacrificing  the  Brain — The  Presi- 
dent and  the  Pardon — Walking  Humbly  with  God 
—The  Alps— Sinai— Calvary.     Micah  6:8.     .      192 

XV 

God's  Care.  The  Unwelcome  Sparrow — Sale  of  the 
Sparrow  Legal — A  Storm  at  Manila — God  Cares 
for  a  President — The  Watchmaker  and  the  Jewel 
—"One  of  Them"— Our  Father.  Matthew  10: 
29 203 

XVI 

A  Bargain  with  God.  Fleeing  from  Justice — The  Bar- 
gain— Fortuna — Sovereign  and  Subject — God  is  in 
This  Place — Knowledge — Linked  with  Divine  Life 
— Do  not  Let  Me  Go  Astray — The  Pledge,  a  Gift — 
When  Religion  Helps.    Genesis  28 :  20,  21.  .      213 

xvn 

The  Man  of  Faith.  What  Faith  Does — Westminster 
Abbey — The  Musical  Instrument — Above  Condi- 
tions —  Fear  —  Danger — Obedience — Ruskin — The 
Future — Worship  Blesses  the  World — The  Decree 
of  Destiny.    Hebrews  11:  i 225 

XVIII 

God  so  Loved  the  World.  The  Perfect  Message — 
What  It  Is  to  All — Love  so  Great — What  Salvation 
Cost  God — How  God  Suffers — Helen  Keller — God's 
Sympathy — Everlasting  Life — The  Image  of  God — 
What  God  Sees  in  Us— The  Fable  of  the  Monk- 
Like  the  Ship.     St.  John  3 :  16.        .        .        .      237 

XIX 

The  Great  Ransom.  Christ  Came  Willingly— Christ 
Touched  by  Suffering — The  Southern  Soldier — A 
Johnstown   Flood  Victim — The  Young  Missionary 


Contents  9 

—The  Doctor  and  the  Leper— The  Royal  Physician 
—A  King  in  a  Hospital— Held  for  $25,000  Ran- 
som— Sold  Twice — Ransom  Sufficient.  Matthew 
20:28 252 

XX 

What  Must  I  Do  to  be  Saved?  Conditions — Asleep — 
On  the  Railroad  Track— The  Great  Need— The 
Prisoner— The  Drunkard  in  the  Meeting— At  Ni- 
agara— The  Prisoner  at  Toulon — "  For  the  Baker's 
Sake  "—Kindness  Sows  Its  Own  Seed.  Acts  16: 
30 266 

XXI 

Prayer  and  Providence — Do  They  Conflict  ?  The 
Praying  Soldier — Two  Sides — The  Love  Side  of 
God— The  Tests— The  Victory— The  Sickly  Mother 
—The  World  Managed  by  Prayer— The  Praying 
Church  Member — More  than  Conquerors.  Daniel 
6:10 280 

XXII 
The  Ever  Present  Christ.  Darkness — Light — God 
Stands  by  all  Things — The  Catacombs  and  the 
Guide — The  Fiery  Furnace — Companionship  with 
Christ—"  Suffer  Little  Children  "— "  Cling  Close  to 
the  Rock  " — Inviting  the  Stranger  in — His  Infinite 
Love.    St.  Luke  24:  15 294 


The  Message  of  To-Morrow 
or 

The  Gospel  of  Hope 


**  Ye  shall  see  greater  things  than  these." — S^.  John  i:^o. 

We  went  from  under  an  inky  sky  of  night  in 
old  Virginia,  into  the  summer  home  of  a  great 
sculptor,  and  saw  in  snow  white  marble  the  form 
of  a  beautiful  maiden  represented  as  resting  upon 
a  high  mountain,  and  looking  far  into  space.  It 
was  plain  that  this  had  come  from  some  strange 
story;  and  on  inquiry  we  were  told  this  legend. 

Long  ago  seven  beautiful  sisters  dwelt  to- 
gether in  supreme  happiness  in  the  sky.  One 
day  pursued  by  Orion  one  was  separated  from 
the  rest  and  made  to  wander  on  alone.  The  six, 
closely  followed  by  the  enemy,  were  changed  by 
Jupiter  into  stars  and  set  forever  in  the  heavens. 
The  seventh,  the  lost  Pleiad,  for  so  she  was, 
travelled  from  sea  to  sea,  from  land  to  land,  and 
from  clime  to  clime  in  search  of  her  sisters,  who 
all  the  while  were  keeping  watch  over  her  from 
above.  Sad  and  disconsolate  she  went  unknown 
among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  with  no  ray  of 
II 


12  The  Message  of  To- Morrow 

hope  shining  above  the  horizon.  No  helping 
hand  was  offered  her,  and  no  word  of  sympathy 
came  from  any  human  being.  Worn  and  weary 
she  cast  herself  down  on  the  highest  mountain 
peak,  and  placing  her  hand  beneath  her  head,  she 
saw  far  up  in  the  silent  vault  of  heaven,  her 
sisters  in  their  shining  beauty.  Then  she  knew 
that  not  they,  but  she  had  been  lost,  and  that  if 
she  had  looked  up  at  the  beginning  she  would 
have  been  spared  the  seven  long  years  of  weary 
wandering.  No  sight  in  all  her  travels  was  half 
so  welcome  as  that  of  her  sisters  whom  she  had 
just  found. 

Like  the  lost  Pleiad,  Nathanael  long  looked 
for  the  light  and  guide  of  his  life,  who  now 
stood  before  him  with  this  great  promise,  "  Ye 
shall  see  greater  things  than  these."  Unlike  the 
lost  Pleiad,  who  sought  so  long  for  those  whom 
she  loved,  Nathanael  was  sought  by  the  One 
whom  he  loved. 

We,  with  the  thousands  since  that  day,  step 
for  a  moment  into  the  tracks  of  wise  Nathanael 
to  hear  what  further  revelations  and  see  what 
further  sights  may  be  ours.  Like  the  lost  Pleiad 
and  like  this  disciple,  we  see  wondrous  sights 
and  then  learn  to  our  surprise  that  the  story 
of  Christ  has  just  begun,  and  the  divine  picture  is 
just  unfolding.  All  the  while  the  six  watchful 
sisters  were  in  the  sky  shedding  light  upon  the 
wanderer's  way.  All  the  while  the  Christ  of  God 
has  been  our  comfort  and  stay,  but  we  may  not 


The  Gospel  of  Hope  13 

have  seen  Him.  Then  there  suddenly  flashes  be- 
fore us  this  vision  of  Christ  and  with  it  the 
promise, 

"  Thou  shalt  see  greater  things  than  these." 
What  then  is  the  future  to  us?  In  the  sunny 
south-land  of  this  continent,  where  the  Spanish 
language  is  spoken,  the  people  have  a  way  of 
asking  when  they  meet,  "Menyana?"  What  of 
to-morrow  ?  Thus  they  throw  life  into  the  future 
and  make  it  the  main  period  of  time.  So  in  this 
story  of  the  Gospel,  as  yet  largely  untold,  and 
which  is  developing  little  by  little.  It  is  the 
question  ''  Menyana?  "  What  of  the  future?  And 
Christ  stands  ready  with  the  declaration,  "Ye 
shall  see  greater  things  than  these."  The  same 
story  of  hope  is  written  in  the  lines  of  that  beauti- 
ful hymn, 

Watchman  tell  us  of  the  night, 

What  its  signs  of  promise  are, 
Traveller  o'er  yon  mountain  height, 

See  that  glory  beaming  star! 

Watchman  does  its  beauteous  ray 

Aught  of  hope  or  joy  foretell? 
Traveller,  yes;    it  brings  the  day — 

Promised  day  of  Israel. 

Man  has  gone  round  and  round  the  world  until 
he  has  discovered,  and  disposed  of  every  conti- 
nent ;  he  has  lassoed  all  the  islands,  and  anchored 
them  as  resting  places  and  coaling  stations,  in 
the  highways  of  commerce.     Man  has  made  in- 


14         The  Message  of  To- Morrow 

ventions  up  to  the  limit  of  the  last  device,  as  it 
would  seem,  and  has  disposed  of  all  work.  So 
he  has  apparently  completed  all  the  possibilities 
of  outer  life. 

Man  himself,  then,  is  the  only  undiscovered 
country  of  all  the  'ages.  The  only  incomplete 
task  is  this  personal  revelation,  which  is  referred 
to  in  these  words  of  Christ,  and  which  He  is 
pledged  to  fulfill  wherever  He  is  given  the  right. 

Then  we  find  that: 

I.  The  future  is  for  man.    "  Thou  shalt.'' 

Man's  life  is  largely  unwritten.  Much  of  it  is 
being  told  now,  but  the  greater  part  is  stretching 
away  yonder  into  the  future  of  time  and  that 
eternity  which  is  before  us. 

But  they  say  that  prophecy  is  all  closed;  that 
Isaiah  and  Jeremiah  and  all  the  rest  are  dead, 
and  that  the  curtain  has  been  run  down  forever 
on  the  stage  of  the  future.  That  is  a  lie.  Christ 
stands  before  Nathanael  and  before  the  whole 
world  and  throws  wide  open  the  door  of  the 
future,  when  He  says,  "  Thou  shalt  see  greater 
things  than  these."  No  one  is  to  think  that  he 
is  beholding  the  final  vision,  though  what  he  sees 
may  be  as  sudden  and  sublime  as  the  lightning 
flash,  or  as  constant  and  secure  as  the  never  fail- 
ing sun. 

"  Shall "  is  the  language  of  hope,  the  message 
of  to-morrow,  the  password  which  admits  us  to 


The  Gospel  of  Hope  15 

the  unfolding  revelation.  It  is  the  great  word 
of  Christ  who  always  calls  us  on  to  unmeasured 
possibilities.  Hope  is  immortality  walking 
among  men  whispering  good  cheer  and  showing 
great  pictures  of  the  future  such  as  Bunyan  saw 
in  the  life  of  the  Christian  Pilgrim,  and  such  as 
John  saw  in  the  Revelation.  It  is  the  realization 
of  man's  highest  expectations. 

Never  was  prophecy  more  abundant  and  never 
more  open  to  the  eye  of  every  man  than  now. 
No  man  has  ever  overtaken  the  horizon  before 
him  in  his  swiftest  flight,  and  never  in  all  his 
journeys  did  he  find  a  land  where  the  sun  did  not 
pass  him  in  its  rapid  journey.  In  the  prophecies 
of  the  Old  Testament  the  limit  was  placed  at 
Bethlehem,  Calvary,  and  the  life  of  Christ.  To 
to-day's  prophecy  no  limit  is  set  save  with  the 
gathering  in  of  the  last  man  to  the  household  of 
Christian  faith.  For  the  world-wide  prophecy  of 
the  present  and  the  future  is  in  the  command  of 
Christ  when  He  said: 

"  Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the 
Gospel  to  every  creature." 

That  this  may  be  done  God  has  fully  ordained 
all  the  necessary  means.  All  that  is  in  advance 
of  man  and  that  urges  him  on  to  the  fulfillment 
of  God's  great  designs  is  prophecy.  Even  natural 
causes  contribute  to  the  great  designs  of  God  as 
in  the  Old  Testament  prophecies.  The  sun  has 
not  yet  returned  in  its  course  to  undo  the  possi- 


1 6         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

bilities  of  its  onward  sweep,  as  it  paints  the  sky 
with  glory  in  the  morning  and  in  the  evening,  to 
show  the  beauty  of  its  prophecy. 

History  has  not  yet  gone  back  to  tear  up  its 
record,  and  it  can  not,  for  the  facts  have  been 
written  too  deeply  in  the  nature  of  man,  as  well 
as  in  rocks,  in  chasms,  and  in  corrugated  fields 
where  glaciers  have  scored  their  story.  So  his- 
tory becomes  prophecy  as  it  shows  how  great  man 
may  yet  become  when  he  outdoes  the  past,  for 
"  Ye  shall  see  greater  things  than  these.'* 

Every  boy  is  a  prophet  in  his  way  as  really  as 
Isaiah  was  in  his.  The  boy  of  to-day  has  a  future 
before  him,  vaster  than  that  of  any  of  the  old 
prophets,  and  an  audience  far  greater,  and  if  he 
will  only  learn  how  to  speak,  he  may  fulfill  even  a 
greater  mission.  He  has  a  future  before  him 
which  calls  to  him  like  the  echo  from  the  hillside, 
saying,  "  Hi,  O !,  Come  on,  come  on !  " 

Go  there  into  the  field  and  read  in  the  blade 
of  grass  the  prophecy  of  the  harvest ;  in  the  rose 
the  story  of  an  Eden  yet  to  come;  in  the  sun- 
shine the  shadow  of  the  glory  of  Heaven,  and  in 
the  hope  of  the  humblest,  the  story  of  a  great 
immortality. 

But  the  greatest  prophet  of  all  is  God  Himself. 
He  has  placed  Himself  before  every  one  as  Christ 
stood  before  Nathanael.  In  God  we  are  to  see 
our  greatest  possibilities,  for  we  are  to  be  like 
Him  when  we  see  Him  as  He  is.    Look  at  Him 


The  Gospel  of  Hope  17 

there,  He  can  not  undo  Himself  or  destroy  Him- 
self or  go  back  on  anything  He  has  said  or  done. 
He  would  not  be  God  if  He  could.  Man  may 
ever  look  upon  Him  for  the  pattern  of  the  life 
that  will  defy  all  the  destructive  powers  of  the 
future.  A  man  may  be  measured  for  his  future 
life  as  readily  as  for  a  suit  of  clothes.  But  re- 
member that  it  takes  time  and  work,  great  and 
intense,  to  complete  the  life  for  the  future  as  it 
takes  stitch  upon  stitch  to  finish  the  garment. 

Here  are  our  plans ;  open  them  and  see  if  they 
have  been  measured  by  the  divine  measure.  Here 
is  a  plan  for  a  mansion,  fair  and  beautiful,  with 
every  detail  marked,  but  this  is  to  be  built  only 
of  earthly  material  and  will  not  last  forever. 
Here  are  the  parts  of  an  invention  great  and 
good,  and  men  are  at  work  completing  that  which 
will  be  of  use  to  man.  But  are  these  all  the  plans 
of  life?  Oh,  no.  Here  is  one  for  the  future,  for 
that  unknown  time  which  seems  never  to  come. 
Open  it  and  see  what  story  it  tells.  But  no — it 
is  a  blank  page,  discoloured  by  age,  soiled  by  dust 
and  stained  by  the  chemistry  of  the  air.  What, 
no  plan  for  that  unknown  time?  Then  hold  up 
this  blank  page  to  the  divine  light  till  it  takes 
upon  it  the  outline  of  the  Divine  Nature,  like  unto 
Whom  we  are  to  grow,  then  set  yourself  to  the 
task  of  filling  it  in,  though  with  imperfect  work, 
until  all  is  finished,  and  you  are  all  complete  in 
Him. 


1 8  The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

Yes  God  in  Christ  is  the  supreme  prophecy  of 
life,  and  our  highest  ambition  is  that  we  may 
fulfill  all  that  great  desire  in  regard  to  us. 

For  this,  God  gives  us  time  and  strength. 
That  is  why  to-morrow  seems  never  to  come. 
God  kindly  pushes  the  time  along  until  we  are 
ready  to  have  the  door  to  the  unseen  open  be- 
for  us.  "  When  I  was  in  Sogd,"  said  an  Arabian 
geographer,  "  I  saw  a  great  building  like  a  palace, 
the  gates  of  which  were  open  and  fastened  back 
to  the  wall  with  large  nails.  I  asked  the  reason 
and  was  told  that  the  house  had  not  been  shut, 
night  or  day,  for  a  hundred  years.  Strangers 
may  present  themselves  at  any  hour,  and  in  what- 
ever number ;  the  master  has  amply  provided  for 
the  reception  of  men  and  their  animals,  and  is 
never  happier  than  when  they  tarry  for  a  time." 

This  is  a  prophecy  of  the  open  revelation  of 
God  for  us  in  the  future  where  His  great  pro- 
vision is  ample  for  everyone,  and  where  He  waits 
with  the  patience  of  His  infinite  nature.  Go  there 
and  read  that  which  you  know  speaks  of  Him  in 
His  providences,  and  learn  by  that,  that  you  are 
near  Him,  as  by  the  painted  signs  upon  the  fence 
and  rocks  along  the  way,  you  learn  that  you  are 
near  the  city. 

It  used  to  be  said  that 

"  Coming  events  cast  their  shadows  before," 
but  now  we  must  read  it, 

"  Coming  events  cast  their  headlight  before," 
for  man  carries  his  own  hope  which  lights  the 


The  Gospel  of  Hope  19 

way  before  him.  Thus  we  read  our  history  before 
it  is  written,  and  indeed  before  it  is  enacted,  as  the 
engineer  reads  the  security  or  the  danger  of  his 
own  journey  in  the  light  from  his  own  engine, 
even  before  it  happens.  So  it  is  that  we  see 
our  history  of  to-morrow  and  understand  the 
message  before  the  world  sees  it.  God  gives 
to  every  man  the  privilege  of  reading  his  own 
history  first ;  and  he  who  lets  the  world  look  upon 
his  life  before  he  has  scanned  it,  is  a  fool  who  can 
not  read  the  message  which  God  has  put  in  his 
hand. 

You  go  into  a  photograph  gallery,  look  into  the 
camera  and  see  no  result.  You  do  not  grow  im- 
patient, though  some  time  goes  by  before  there 
is  anything  to  show  for  what  you  did.  All  this 
time  the  photographer  is  developing  that  which 
represents  you.  You  know  about  what  it  will 
be.  You  are  sure  it  will  be  like  you.  So  you 
do  not  have  the  picture  taken  for  the  present  time 
so  much  as  for  the  future,  for  you  know  you 
are  going  to  change.  So  we  know  about  how  we 
look  before  that  God  whose  eye  misses  no  defect 
and  passes  by  no  excellence.  There  seems  at 
first  to  be  no  result  but  we  are  waiting  patiently 
for  we  know  that  the  great  artist  is  bringing  all 
to  completion  as  fast  as  He  can.  Our  life  lies 
forward  of  to-day  and  we  have  prophecy  enough 
to  know  about  what  it  may  be,  for  we  shall  see 
greater  things  than  these.  When  He  has  finished, 
and  we  have  been  made  after  the  fulfilled  proph- 


ao         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

ecy,  "  we  shall  be  like  Him  when  we  shall  see 
Him  as  He  is." 

Christ  then  is  the  greatest  prophecy  of  every 
redeemed  soul.  Go  look  on  Him  and  see  how  you 
will  appear.  Make  certain  of  that  shadowy  un- 
known to-morrow,  by  placing  all  in  the  Almighty 
hand.  He  wastes  no  effort,  He  risks  no  time,  He 
has  made  all  this  preparation  for  no  vain  purpose. 
He  has  waited  for  man  to  read  this  divine  proph- 
ecy in  the  Son  of  God,  that  he  may  see  greater 
things  than  these;  as  one  of  our  poets  has  said, 

"  Build  thee  more  stately  mansions,  O  my  soul, 

As  the  swift  seasons  roll ; 

Leave  thy  low  vaulted  part ! 

Let  each  new  temple,  nobler  than  the  last, 

Shut  thee  from  heaven  with  a  dome  more  vast 

Till  thou  at  length  art  free. 

Leaving  thine  outgrown  shell  by   life's  unresting  sea." 

H.  The  revelation  is  for  man.  "  Thou  shalt 
see." 

We  are  then  coming  to  an  age  of  testimony. 
Not  always  will  the  religion  of  Christ  be  offered 
only  in  precept,  but  it  is  working  forth  into  the 
practices  of  the  world. 

The  trouble  with  the  lost  Pleiad  was  not  that 
her  sisters  were  not  in  full  view,  but  that  she 
did  not  look  up.  The  trouble  with  Nathanael 
was  not  that  Christ  had  not  been  before  him,  for 
He  had  been  in  full  view  in  the  prophecies  of  the 
Old  Testament,  but  that  he  did  not  see  Him.    The 


The  Gospel  of  Hope  21 

trouble  with  unbelievers  to-day  is  not  that  they 
do  not  have  enough  proof,  but  that  they  have 
not  given  it  attention. 

Now  the  coming  days  of  this  century  are  going 
to  be  times  of  conviction  and  belief.  Science  has 
brought  her  proofs  and  laid  them  down  on  the 
study  table  of  man  and  they  read, 

"  1  have  not  one  word  of  opposition  or  con- 
tradiction in  the  case  of  Christianity,  but  only 
proof  that  it  is  true." 

Reason  is  summoned  and  says, 

''  I  have  hunted  far  and  wide  for  the  causes  of 
this  strange  phenomenon  called  Christianity  and 
I  find  nothing  inconsistent,  but  rather  that  all 
is  in  harmony  with  eternal  truth." 

Discovery  comes  forward  and  testifies, 

**  I  have  been  busy  these  years  hunting  amid 
ruins  of  temple  and  field  for  something  about  this 
great  cause.  I  have  found  much  in  different 
places  all  over  the  world,  and  every  word  con- 
firms this  divine  record." 

There  comes  also  the  great  melody  of  song 
that  cheers  the  tired  world,  that  calms  the  trou- 
bled heart  of  the  bereaved,  that  goes  up  every- 
where as  a  great  chorus  on  Sabbath  day  to  honour 
God,  that  finds  its  expression  in  the  great  Ora- 
torios of  the  Creation,  the  Elijah,  the  Redeemer 
and  the  Messiah,  and  testifies, 

*'  Without  Christianity  we  would  never  have 
been  born  and  in  our  place  would  have  come  the 
cry  of  woe  and  despair." 


12         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

Even  dry,  stale,  severe  Mathematics  adds  its 
testimony  in  these  words, 

"  I  have  measured  and  computed  all  things 
and  find  that  the  God  of  signs  and  angles  and 
circles  and  distance  and  space,  and  who  has  made 
no  mistake  in  any  of  these,  is  also  the  infallible 
God  of  all  the  future." 

But  the  greatest  of  all  the  testimonies  by  which 
man  shall  see  greater  things  than  came  before 
Nathanael,  are  in  human  experience.  God  has 
opened  enough  of  the  world's  history  to  prove  to 
us  all  He  has  ever  said.  The  laws  which  He 
gave  to  Moses  have  governed  the  world  ever  since 
Israel  was  encamped  at  Sinai.  They  have  worked 
themselves  into  all  the  manners  and  customs  of 
every  civilized  nation,  and  never  can  be  changed. 
The  cry  of  old  David  for  pardon  and  for  an  inti- 
mate life  with  God,  finds  a  responsive  chord  in 
every  human  heart,  so  that  the  Psalms  of  the  Old 
Testament  will  be  remembered  as  long  as  human 
hearts  beat.  The  logic  of  Paul,  which  was  too 
much  for  the  keen  Rabbi,  which  silenced  the  wise 
Athenian,  which  outdid  the  rich  Corinthian,  and 
brought  the  whole  world  with  bowed  head  to 
acknowledge  the  power  and  supremacy  of  the 
Nazarene, — will  that  ever  be  forgotten?  No? 
Then  the  testimony  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ  is 
sufficient  and  there  is  no  reason  why  man  should 
not  see  with  open  eyes,  the  eternal  vision  which 
governs  the  world. 

For  eighteen  hundred  years  man  has  travelled 


The  Gospel  of  Hope  23 

along  this  divine  path  and  it  is  going  to  take 
something  very  unusual  to  turn  him  aside.  So 
well  has  God  made  all  preparation  for  man's 
future,  that  if  a  man  will  but  look,  he  must  see 
the  way  of  life.  The  lost  Pleiad  needed  only  to 
look  up  to  see  the  desire  of  her  heart.  Nathanael 
needed  only  to  look  up  to  see  the  Christ,  and  then 
onward  to  see  the  bright  future  that  would  come 
to  all  who  would  trust  the  Lord. 

God  is  piling  up  human  testimony  which  will 
answer  the  objection  of  every  infidel,  and  it  is 
being  done  in  the  most  human  way.  For  instance 
in  A.  D.  1600  the  Christian  power  of  the  world 
controlled  7  per  cent,  of  the  surface  of  the  earth, 
and  in  1893,  82  per  cent.  During  the  same  time 
Ithe  non-Christian  nations  ,d'ecreased  in  power 
from  93  per  cent,  to  18  per  cent.  At  the  present 
time  the  Protestant  nations  alone  rule  about  twice 
as  much  territory  as  all  the  non-Christian  nations 
combined.  Surely  this  is  the  power  of  Moses  and 
Isaiah,  and  David  and  Paul  and  ten  thousand 
others,  and  is  not  without  its  mission.  How  won- 
derfully God  has  made  ready  for  man's  great 
future.  In  the  light  of  this,  any  one  who  will 
not  see  as  Christ  told  Nathanael  he  should,  must 
henceforth  be  regarded  as  a  natural  fool  and  must 
be  rejected  as  a  note  that  is  out  of  date.  But  he 
who  will  enter  the  future,  that  unknown  and 
uncertain  to-morrow,  with  eyes  turned  to  Him 
who  alone  can  mark  out  the  life  that  is  to  last 
forever,  as  the  Pleiad  looked  to  the  sky,  and  as 


24         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

Nathanael  looked  at  Christ,  will  see  that  all  the 
ages  have  been  preparing  the  way  for  Him  to 
enter  into  the  eternal  inheritance,  and  shall  see 
as  Christ  said,  heaven  open  and  the  angels  of 
God  ascending  and  descending  upon  the  Son  of 
Man ;  so  each  may  say  in  the  sublime  words  of 
the  poet  Whitman, 

"  Immense  have  been  the  preparations  for  me. 

Faithful  and  friendly  the  arms  that  have  helped  me. 

Cycles  ferried  my  cradle,  rowing  and  rowing  like  cheer- 
ful boatmen, 

For  room  to  me  stars  kept  in  their  own  rings. 

They  sent  influences  to  look  after  what  was  to  hold  me. 

All  forces  have  been  steadily  employed  to  complete  and 
delight  me." 

III.  The  triumph  is  for  man.  "  Thou  shalt 
see  greater  things  than  these." 

Is  that  possible?  There  stood  the  Christ  of 
God  before  Nathanael,  and  was  He  not  the  great- 
est sight  of  all?  Yes,  but  remember  that  Christ 
had  not  yet  begun  His  great  work.  As  He  stood 
there  He  was  great,  but  how  much  greater  when 
He  was  active,  enthusing  all  things  with  His  pres- 
ence, moving  all  things  by  His  power,  touching 
and  changing  all  history  with  His  magic  wand. 

But  what  are  the  greater  things  which  we  shall 
see?  If  you  will  read  the  next  verse  you  will 
see,  that  Christ  tells  what  is  the  greater  vision 
for  He  says  in  explanation, 

"  Ye  shall  see  heaven  open  and  the  angels  as- 
cending and  descending  upon  the  Son  of  Man." 


The  Gospel  of  Hope  25 

At  once  our  minds  run  back  to  the  story  of 
Jacob's  dream  when  he  saw  the  ladder  let 
down  from  heaven,  and  saw  the  angels  ascend- 
ing and  descending.  In  Jacob  was  the  hope 
of  the  Jewish  race.  In  Christ  was  the  hope 
of  the  whole  world.  The  mission  of  Christ  then 
is  specially  to  bring  back  the  exile  to  the  blessed 
home.  Jacob  should  not  always  stay  in  the  for- 
eign land,  and  while  there  he  has  the  divine  help. 
So  while  we  are  in  this  sinful  world  we  have  the 
divine  help  to  strengthen  and  sustain. 

It  is  then  the  recovery  of  man  that  is  to  so 
interest  the  world  and  to  even  surprise  the  angels, 
for  we  are  told  that  the  angels  desired  to  look 
into  these  things.  "  Because  I  said,  I  saw  thee 
under  the  fig  tree,  believest  thou?  Thou  shalt 
see  greater  things  than  these." 

The  wonder  of  future  ages  then  is  man  him- 
self. In  all  machinery  produced  there  must  be  a 
hand  to  guide  and  keep  it  in  order.  And  here 
man  shows  his  skill.  Man  walks  the  earth  like 
a  giant.  Nations  rock  and  tremble  under  the  tread 
of  one  man.  Banking  institutions  rest  for  their 
security  on  the  shoulders  of  some  careless  finan- 
cier, who  by  once  stumbling,  may  send  all  crash- 
ing into  ruin.  This  country  may  be  in  the  throes 
of  poverty  only  because  one  man  is  elected  to  the 
Presidency,  and  again  may  revel  in  almost 
mad  prosperity  because  another  man  is  elected 
to  the  same  office.  The  world  depends  abso- 
lutely upon  personality,   and   so   does   God;   for 


a6         The  Message  of  To- Morrow 

this  is  the  lesson  given  to  Nathanael  in  the 
life  and  words  of  Christ.  The  Saviour  cared  but 
little  for  institutions  and  customs,  but  spent  His 
time  reaching  individuals.  He  was  ever  seeking 
the  listening  ear  of  the  poor  and  the  needy  and 
the  helpless,  and  the  sick,  that  He  might  save 
and  keep  them.  Yes  the  great  future  of  the 
world  rests  on  the  individual  and  that  is  the  rea- 
son why  the  salvation  of  Christ  is  personal.  It 
is  also  the  reason  why  Christ  is  so  patient  in  work- 
ing out  the  salvation  of  men.  So  much  depends 
upon  this  in  all  the  future  that  God  can  afford 
to  be  patient. 

In  the  light  of  all  this  the  greatest  thing  that 
Nathanael  or  any  one  else  will  ever  behold  is 
the  salvation  of  the  soul  from  a  condition  of  sin 
to  a  condition  of  righteousness  in  Christ.  The 
world  will  ever  look  upon  this  with  surprise. 
Greater  than  material  changes,  greater  than  all 
inventions  and  discoveries,  greater  than  all  acts 
in  human  history,  it  will  ever  remain  the  unchang- 
ing message  of  to-day  and  to-morrow  to  a  needy, 
helpless  but  not  hopeless  world. 

They  are  just  now  talking  of  restoring  the 
Parthenon  at  Athens,  that  temple  of  marvellous 
beauty  of  the  days  of  Phidias.  But  they  can  not 
do  it.  A  part  of  it  is  in  the  British  Museum  in 
London,  a  part  is  in  Paris,  and  parts  are,  who 
knows  where?  At  the  mere  suggestion  that  this 
old  ruin  be  restored  a  laugh  went  up  from  Lon- 
don,  Paris   and   other  places,   meaning  that  the 


The  Gospel  of  Hope  27 

parts  of  this  temple  kept  in  these  cities  would 
not  be  given  up.  And  if  they  were  surrendered 
who  would  fit  them  together  again  as  they  once 
were,  for  Phidias  is  dead  and  so  are  the  other 
great  men  of  Greece  of  that  period?  No,  the 
Parthenon  can  never  be  restored. 

But  here  stands  an  Architect  of  the  human  soul 
who  promises  complete  restoration.  Your  life 
has  been  pillaged  by  evil  forces.  A  part  is  in  one 
museum  of  the  evil  one,  a  part  in  another;  but 
Christ,  greater  than  Phidias  or  Michael  Angelo 
or  any  human  architect  or  sculptor,  brings  back 
the  wanting  parts  and  says, 

*'  Do  you  think  you  were  great  before  you 
were  despoiled?  You  shall  see  greater  things 
than  these,  and  be  greater  in  your  redeemed 
Hfe." 

We  are  more  perfect  than  any  temple  because 
we  are  ''  Complete  in  Him." 

One  of  the  greater  things  of  the  restored  life 
is  the  unchanging  Christian  purpose. 

When  Warren  Hastings  was  nine  years  old  his 
father  lost  his  estate.  Just  before  the  family  were 
to  leave,  young  Warren  went  out  by  the  little 
stream  and  lay  down  on  the  grass  and  said, 

"I  can  and  will  make  the  money  to  reclaim 
this  estate." 

He  lay  down  there  as  a  boy;  he  rose  up  as  a 
man  because  a  great  purpose  had  taken  hold  of 
him.  Forty  years  later  he  went  to  that  same  spot 
and  carried  in  his  hand  the  newly  secured  deed  of 


a 8         The  Message  of  To- Morrow 

the  estate.     It  was  a  noble  purpose  and  yet  not 
so  great  as  the  one  to  which  the  text  refers. 

Henry  Wilson,  once  Vice-President  of  the 
United  States,  when  a  boy  was  very  poor.  He 
was  in  a  shoe  shop  in  his  little  town,  learning 
the  business  of  shoe  making,  and  begging  for 
work  from  place  to  place.  His  father  was  a  hope- 
less, helpless  drunkard  and  so  low  and  lost  that 
the  son  asked  the  legislature  to  change  his  name 
that  he  might  be  free  from  his  father's  curse. 
Look  at  him  there  later  in  life,  holding  the  sec- 
ond highest  office  in  the  gift  of  the  nation.  Men 
wondered  at  this  so  much  that  when  he  died 
they  weighed  his  brain,  thinking  that  there  must 
be  something  in  his  physical  make  up  to  give 
him  such  power.  But  it  was  found  that  his  brain 
was  slightly  under  the  average.  Then  they  had 
to  acknowledge  what  he  had  long  told  them,  that 
it  was  his  great  Christian  purpose  that  had  given 
him  such  success.  Ah  yes,  the  immortal  purpose 
of  the  Christian  will  never  change  save  to  give 
larger  and  greater  opportunities  as  Christ  prom- 
ised Nathanael,  when  He  said, 

"  Thou  shalt  see  greater  things  than  these." 
Another  greater  power  of  the  restored  life  and 
which  we  shall  see,  is  a  true  conviction  of  Christ's 
right  in  our  hearts  and  in  the  world.  There  is 
no  political  party  that  would  dare  to  put  forth 
an  infidel  for  President  of  the  United  States.  The 
people  of  this  country  would  consider  it  an  in- 
sult.   How  would  it  look  for  such  a  one  to  take 


The  Gospel  of  Hope  29 

an  oath  before  a  God  in  whom  he  does  not  be- 
Heve  and  swear  upon  a  Bible  which  he  considers 
merely  human  ?  Even  the  infidels  would  not  want 
one  of  their  own  number  for  President,  which 
shows  that  this  spark  of  hope  has  not  yet  left 
the  breast  of  the  unbeliever.  There  is  a  convic- 
tion that  the  Christian  religion  is  true,  even 
among  the  careless,  as  was  shown  in  a  political 
meeting  a  little  time  ago  when  men  broke  out 
in  applause  at  the  mention  of  the  name  of  Christ. 
Even  the  indifferent  wish  their  children  to  go 
to  the  Sabbath  School  and  to  Church,  obeying 
the  conviction  of  immortal  hope  which  approves 
of  Christ. 

Christian  Conscience  is  another  greater  power 
arising  from  the  restored  life.  The  accuracy  of 
no  material  force  can  equal  the  accuracy  of  the 
working  of  conscience.  The  persistency  of  no 
machine  (unless  it  be  the  political  machine)  can 
equal  the  relentless  persistency  of  conscience.  It 
is  one  of  the  greatest  sights  possible  to  see  the 
world  ruled  by  the  unseen  force  of  the  Christian 
Conscience.  Not  long  ago  a  terrible  massacre 
in  Turkey  was  put  down,  men  hardly  knew  how, 
yet  it  is  easy  to  understand.  The  Christian  Con- 
science, the  tribunal  before  which  Kings  and  Em- 
perors and  Presidents  must  bow,  had  called  the 
Turkish  nation  to  Judgment,  and  there  was  no 
escape. 

A  few  days  ago  ten  thousand  men  gathered  in 
one  place  in  Philadelphia  to  protest  with  all  their 


30         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

mights  against  what  they  beUeved  to  be  corrup- 
tion in  their  city  poHtics.  This  was  the  expression 
of  their  outraged  consciences.  No  one  can  any- 
where long  stand  against  ten  thousand  men,  who 
have  good  lungs,  strong  voices  and  justice  in  their 
souls.  These  men  will  have  their  way,  for  God 
has  so  decreed,  and  the  message  that  greets  us 
at  the  open  door  of  to-morrow,  is  that  Christian 
conscience  is  supreme.  What  a  sight  it  is  to 
see  the  redeemed  and  recovered  life  holding  sway 
over  the  whole  world.  That  is  what  Christ  in- 
tends shall  be  done,  when  He  said, 

"  Ye  shall  see  greater  things  than  these." 
God  lias  not  made  a  crown  of  gold  and  of 
emeralds  and  of  diamonds  and  placed  it  away 
there  and  said, 

"  You  must  come  along  such  and  such  an 
earthly  lineage,  before  you  can  rule,"  but  He  has 
made  an  everlasting  crown  for  everyone  no  matter 
who  he  is,  who  is  willing  to  come  along  the  line- 
age of  Christ  by  being  born  into  His  kingdom. 
And  he  who  comes  in  this  way  has  power  and 
right  to  rule  for  he  holds  in  his  hand  the  sceptre 
of  the  world.  He  may  even  push  aside  and  de- 
throne kings  if  need  be.  Indeed  this  has  been 
done  over  and  over  in  the  history  of  the  world. 
A  mere  boy  by  the  name  of  Joseph  took  the  place 
of  a  king  in  Egypt  and  managed  the  kingdom. 
A  young  man,  a  foreigner  and  slave,  by  the  name 
of  Daniel,  took  the  reins  of  government  out  of  the 
hands  of  old  Darius,  and  the  king  was  glad  to  let 


The  Gospel  of  Hope  31 

the  young  slave  manage  all,   for  he  did  it  so 
well. 

It  was  an  interlinking  of  the  best  human  agency 
and  the  great  divine  wisdom  that  brought  a  rail 
splitter  from  an  obscure  part  of  this  land  and 
made  him  President  of  the  United  States  forty 
years  ago  that  the  country  might  be  safely  led 
through  a  great  rebellion.  So  in  all  the  humbler 
walks  of  life,  hope,  fair  beautiful  hope,  shines 
before  every  one  a  beacon  light  of  God;  for  "  Ye 
shall  see  greater  things  than  these,"  is  spoken 
to  the  lowly,  the  needy  and  the  helpless  because 
from  these  and  all  other  conditions  you  may  rise 
to  be  kings  and  priests  unto  God. 

The  final  vision  that  shall  greet  our  eyes,  and 
of  which  Christ  speaks  hefe  is  that  blessed  time 
when  heaven  and  earth  shall  have  joined  hands 
in  the  great  triumph  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ 
when  every  knee  shall  bow  and  every  tongue  shall 
confess  that  He  is  Lord  to  the  glory  of  God.  This 
will  be  the  time  when  the  ''  Angels  shall  ascend 
and  descend  upon  the  Son  of  Man."  The  time 
shall  not  be  an  incident  as  in  the  life  of  Jacob, 
but  shall  be  a  condition,  one  that  will  mark  for- 
ever the  triumph  of  the  King  of  Kings  and  Lord 
of  Lords.  It  shall  then  be  popular  to  be  a  fol- 
lower of  the  Christ  of  God.  As  in  the  few  days 
of  popularity  in  His  life  in  Palestine,  so  all  the 
time,  will  men  ascribe  their  praise,  and  acclaim 
Halleluiahs!  This  is  no  mere  vision.  It  will  be  a 
fact  definite  and  constant  in  the  life  of  the  Chris- 


32  The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

tian  Church.  The  time  seems  long  and  the  process 
slow  because  the  recovery  of  the  lost  is  made  one 
by  one  until  that  great  time  has  come.  Lift  up 
your  eyes  to  the  sky  to  see  what  the  morrow  shall 
bring  forth. 

Bid  glad  welcome  to  to-morrow,  since  it  brings 
only  the  good  news  of  possible  growth  and  en- 
largement of  life,  which  has  been  touched  by  the 
finger  of  God. 

Remember  that  the  great  time  of  Christ  is  to  be 
hastened  by  the  attitude  and  effort  of  every  one, 
and  that  the  message  of  to-morrow  is  the  message 
of  hope  and  recovery  of  life  for  "  thou  shalt  see 
greater  things  than  these." 

"  An  ivy  in  a  dungeon  grew, 
Uncheered  by  rain,  unfed  by  dew; 
Its  pallid  leaflets  only  drank. 
Cave  moistures  foul  and  odours  dank. 

But  through  the  dungeon  grating  high, 
There  fell  a  sunbeam  from  the  sky; 
It  slept  upon  the  grating  floor. 
In  silent  gladness  evermore. 

The  ivy  felt  a  tremor  shoot, 
Through  every  fibre  to  the  root; 
It  felt  the  light,  it  saw  the  ray, 
It  strove  to  blossom  into  day. 

It  grew,  it  crept,  it  pushed,  it  dome, — 
Long  had  the  darkness  been  its  home; 
But  well  it  knev/  though  veiled  in  night, 
The  beauty  and  the  joy  of  light. 


The  Gospel  of  Flope  33 

It  reached  the  beam,— it  thrilled,  it  curled, 
It  blessed  the   warmth  that   cheers  the  world, 
It  rose  above  the  dungeon  bars, 
It  looked  upon  the  sun  and  stars. 

It   felt  the  life  of  bursting  spring, 
It  heard  the  happy  skylark  sing; 
It  caught  the  breath  of  morns  and  eves. 
And  wooed  the  swallows  to  its  leaves. 

By  rain  and  dew  and  sunshine  fed, 
Over  the  outer  wall  it  spread  ; 
And  in  the  day-beam   waving  free, 
It  grew  into  a  steadfast  tree. 

Would  you  know  the  moral  of  this  rhyme? 
Behold  the  light  of  Christ  and  climb. 
To  the  soul's  dungeon  comes  this  ray 
0£  Christ  the  light,  the  life,  the  way." 


II 

THE  NEW  CENTURY  AND  ITS  MISSION 

"  Ye  shall  receive  power  after  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is 
come  upon  you,  and  ye  shall  be  witnesses  unto  Me, 
.  .  .  unto  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth." — Acts 
i:8. 

The  parting  of  the  centuries  was  at  the  day 
of  Pentecost.  All  before  that  was  old,  staid  and 
formal;  all  since  has  been  bright,  new  and  spir- 
itual. About  that  time  the  world's  calendar  was 
destroyed,  and  the  Christian  calendar,  which  con- 
forms to  God's  plan  was  begun.  The  events  in 
the  life  of  Christ  were  in  fulfillment  of  the  Old 
Testament  demands,  and  of  the  necessary  condi- 
tions of  the  Christian  Church. 

A  little  band  of  three  hundred  men,  under 
Gideon,  turned  heathenism  aside  from  further  at- 
tacks, for  the  time,  on  the  developing  Jewish  race. 
Three  hundred  men  at  Thermopylae,  under 
Leonidas,  turned  the  tide  of  the  old  world  back 
upon  itself,  and  made  to  flow  in  its  place  the 
strong  current  of  new  civilization  to  all  the  world. 

But  here  are  fewer,  only    one    hundred    and 
twenty,  who  stood  against  the  whole  world.    Yet 
these  men  were  supreme,  because  they  had  on 
their  side  Him  who  had  said, 
34 


The  New  Century  and  Its  Mission     35 

"  All  power  is  given  unto  Me  both  in  heaven 
and  in  earth ; "  and,  ''  Ye  shall  receive  power 
after  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  come  upon  you." 

We  have  come  to  the  time  when  fulfillments 
are  to  be  the  order  of  the  day.  Shall  we  find  the 
countless  secrets  of  manufactory  and  of  inven- 
tion, of  art,  of  science,  of  steam  and  electricity, 
and  not  find  the  secrets  in  the  moral  and  the 
spiritual  world?  By  no  means.  To  uncover  the 
one  is  to  uncover  the  other.  So  the  impetus  that 
the  world  is  gaining  in  the  great  forward  move- 
ment, is  bound  to  carry  us  to  greater  develop- 
ments of  higher  life.  There  is  therefore  a  gen- 
eral belief  that  we  have  come  to  a  great  era  in 
the  history  of  the  world. 

I.  The  preparation  for  the  exercise  of  God's 

POWER   HAS   BEEN   AMPLE. 

Christ  said,  *'  Tarry  ye  in  the  city  of  Jerusalem, 
until  ye  be  endued  with  power."  If  the  Church 
has  been  waiting  until  the  time  is  ripe,  she  surely 
need  wait  no  longer.  All  is  in  swift  preparation. 
The  speculator  is  enlarging  his  plans,  the  scholar 
is  adding  to  his  library,  the  manufacturer  is  im- 
proving his  machinery,  the  Churches  are  pushing 
on  into  heathen  lands  on  all  sides  of  the  world, 
and  the  historian  is  sharpening  his  pencil,  to  make 
the  record  of  greater  worldwide  achievements. 

Commerce  flies  with  swifter  wing  than  ever 
before,  and  dares  to  enter  every  port  in  all  the 


36         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

rivers  and  seas.  Inventions  have  multipHed  until 
man  is  hardly  needed  for  the  work  of  the  world, 
except  to  direct  and  control,  organized  mechani- 
cal power.  A  high  official  in  the  Patent  office 
at  Washington,  said  a  short  time  ago  that  he 
had  long  since  ceased  to  be  surprised  at  anything 
invented,  that  he  believed  everything  except  a 
flying  machine  would  be  produced,  and  that  he 
had  little  doubt  that  this  exception  would  soon 
be  eliminated. 

Furthermore  a  great  preparation  for  the  ad- 
vance movement  of  the  Christian  Church,  is  to 
be  found  in  the  unusual  benevolence  of  recent 
years.  It  requires  money  to  carry  on  any  great 
work,  and  especially  is  this  true  of  the  evangeli- 
zation of  the  world.  To  answer  this  need  God 
has  led  to  a  season  of  great  benevolence  on  the 
part  of  many.  During  last  year  the  gifts  of  some 
of  the  rich  have  aggregated  $62,461,304,  of  which 
nearly  $35,000,000,  or  considerably  more  than 
one-half,  went  to  universities,  colleges  and  other 
educational  institutions.  Of  the  remaining  $27,- 
000,000  a  little  more  than  a  half  went  to  charities, 
while  nearly  $9,000,000  was  given  to  churches. 
The  balance  of  $5,000,000  was  divided  about 
evenly  between  museums,  art  galleries  and  li- 
braries. 

Then  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  benevo- 
lence of  the  great  host  of  men  and  women  who 
give  from  moderate  and  small  fortunes,  and  from 


The  New  Century  and  Its  Mission     37 

modest  annual  incomes  that  are  earned  by  daily 
industry,  is  far  greater  relatively  than  the  benevo- 
lence of  the  very  rich. 

Can  any  one  doubt  the  meaning  of  such  a 
preparation  for  the  sway  of  God's  power? 

But  the  most  remarkable  preparation  for  the 
coming  of  the  Spirit  in  power  is  the  spread  of 
the  English  language.  There  seems  to  be  neces- 
sary some  particular  language  which  shall  carry 
the  truth  of  God  to  all  men ;  and  the  English  lan- 
guage is  the  one.  Not  only  has  it  become  com- 
mon to  tell  the  vast  number  of  Bibles  printed  in 
the  English,  (more  than  in  any  other  two  lan- 
guages), but  also  that  the  books  which  have  had 
the  widest  sale  of  any  publications  in  modern 
times,  have  been  in  the  English  and  upon  subjects 
which  take  hold  of  the  eternal  verities  of  the 
Christian  faith,  "  Ben  Hur,"  "  Titus,  a  Companion 
of  the  Cross,"  "  In  His  Steps,"  "  The  Master 
Christian,"  and  others  may  be  named.  Take  this 
together  with  the  fact  that  the  English  speaking 
people  are  fast  getting  control  of  the  whole  world 
and  you  can  easily  see  the  Providence  working  in 
events.  All  nations  now  are  forced  to  learn  the 
English  language.  Great  Britain  has  acquired 
territory  in  almost  every  part  of  the  earth,  and 
America  has  followed  with  the  Gospel  to  make 
the  Christian  life,  and  the  English  language  se- 
cure. In  America,  every  man  from  any  other 
shore  is  compelled  to  learn  the  English  language, 
if  he  would  do  business  and  live  happily.     And 


38  The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

yet  no  one  is  forced  in  this  land  to  learn  any- 
other  than  the  mother  tongue. 

When  the  great  missionary  Carey  began  his 
career  about  a  century  ago,  only  about  22,000,000 
could  speak  the  English  language  or  about  i 
in  every  67  of  the  people  on  the  whole  earth,  and 
I  in  every  7  of  the  people  in  Europe.  At  the 
present  time  about  120,000,000  use  the  English 
or  about  i  in  every  12  of  the  people  of  the  whole 
earth  and  i  in  every  4  of  all  the  people  of  Europe. 
The  meaning  of  all  this  is  clear  when  we  re- 
member that  the  English  language  is  the  great 
missionary  language  of  the  world.  God  has  not 
been  inactive  while  his  church  has  been  "  tarry- 
ing at  Jerusalem  "  in  these  modern  days. 

What  an  outlook  then  for  the  opening  of  the 
twentieth  century!  Surely  we  who  stand  in  the 
presence  of  all  this  marvellous  development  owe 
the  world  a  great  service.  All  seems  ready  now 
for  a  forward  movement.  Even  the  heart  hunger 
of  the  church  which  is  to  make  us  fully  ready  for 
the  great  events  in  the  twentieth  century,  has  ap- 
peared, for  the  year  books  of  some  of  the  churches 
for  1900  show  disappointments.  One  great  de- 
nomination with  over  7,000  churches,  records 
1,500  churches  which  have  not  reported  a  single 
conversion.  Another  denomination,  which  has 
over  8,000  churches,  reports  2,000  churches  with- 
out a  single  conversion. 

Our  cities  all  show  the  great  need  of  a  nobler 
and  better  Christian  faith.    Decayed  city  govern- 


The  New  Century  and  Its  Mission      39 

ments  curse  the  best  spots  on  earth,  and  men  of 
high  and  noble  purpose  are  crying  out  for  some 
kind  of  relief.  Not  only  is  there  then  the  ex- 
ternal preparation  for  a  great  revival,  but  the 
crying  need,  which  will  stir  alike  the  heart  of 
God  and  man. 

With  these  things  we  face  the  opening  century 
expectantly.  We  have  long  "  tarried  at  the  city 
of  Jerusalem."  We  are  now  feverish  for  the  full 
out-pouring  of  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 
Not  at  the  day  of  Pentecost  was  there  larger  hope 
and  greater  desire  toward  the  future  than  now. 
Never  has  the  whole  world  been  so  moved  with 
longing  for  great  results.  Never  has  there  been 
such  organization  for  advance  movement  as  is 
now  found  in  the  Christian  Church.  Never  was 
the  world  so  anxious  for  the  dawn  of  Christian 
glory.  So  true  is  this  that  Mr.  Moody  said,  as 
one  of  his  last  utterances,  that  we  are  on  the  eve 
of  the  greatest  revival  the  world  has  ever  known. 

How  then  is  this  to  be  brought  about?  The 
answer  is  found  in  the  text, 

n.  "  After  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is   come 

UPON   YOU." 

Divine  power  through  the  Holy  Spirit  is  to 
rule  the  world.  Why  should  this  be  thought 
strange?  Why  may  we  not  expect  marvellous 
developments  in  the  Christian  life?  God  has 
more  than  a  passing  interest  in  this  world,  else 
He  would  never  have  sent  His  Son  to  die  for  us. 


40         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

God  has  never  thought  worth  while  to  instruct 
mankind  on  the  great  subjects  of  mechanics  or 
chemistry  or  astronomy.  Man  has  had  to  find 
these  things  for  himself.  But  on  moral  and 
spiritual  subjects,  He  has  been  most  exact  in  His 
revelations.  Long  ago  He  sent  angelic  messen- 
gers to  reveal  His  will,  and  after  that  He  wrote 
His  word  to  remain  forever,  His  letter  of  instruc- 
tion to  all  the  human  race.  There  is  no  meaning 
in  all  that  has  happened  in  the  last  five  hundred, 
yes  in  the  last  eighteen  hundred  years  if  there 
be  no  revival  of  God's  power  and  God's  grace 
near  at  hand.  Time  has  been  given  by  the  great 
God  for  the  trial  of  everything  which  man  might 
regard  as  a  substitute  for  the  power  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Education,  science,  reason,  morality,  and 
all  the  rest  have  entered  the  arena  of  contest,  and 
sin  has  met  and  vanquished  every  one  of  them. 
So  the  world  to-day  needs  this  very  power  of 
God.  It  is  not  to  come  with  great  sound  of  the 
trumpet,  conflicting  with  every  plan  and  purpose 
of  man,  but  is  to  enter  into  the  very  life  of  man 
quietly  and  there  rule  in  power. 

Little  do  we  think  that  the  sunshine  rules  us: 
and  yet  it  does.  We  rise  at  its  coming,  we  work 
in  its  light,  we  lie  down  and  close  our  eyes  to 
rest  in  its  absence.  The  sunshine  gives  us  power 
of  muscle,  light  for  the  eye,  and  food  for  the 
body.  It  enters  into  every  part  of  our  nature. 
We  would  die  without  it.  Sunshine  therefore 
rules  us,  and  we  are  its  v/illing  subjects. 


The  New  Century  and  Its  Mission     41 

In  this  mysterious  way,  yet  more  really  God 
enters  with  power  into  our  lives  in  the  person  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  to  give  Us  strength  in  ourselves, 
as  we  have  power  in  Him. 

The  presence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  will  bring  to 
us  a  universal  principle  which  is  to  rule  the  world, 
and  sometime  in  this  opening  century  men  will 
learn  to  think  alike  in  regard  to  God's  presence 
in  the  world. 

It  is  not  so  long  ago  that  all  commerce  was  car- 
ried on  in  a  haphazard  way.     Each  sailor  man- 
aged his  ship  as  he  chose,  regardless  of  how  his 
neighbour  sailed  his.    Then  men  found  the  provi- 
dence of  God  in  sea  and  sky,  and  all  began  to  sail 
by  the  tides  of  the  great  deep,  and  by  the  winds 
of  heavens.     And  now  there  is  but  one  doctrine 
of  navigation,  and  by  it  all  men  sail.     The  pilot 
who  goes  but  a  little  way  out  to  sea,  and  the  cap- 
tain of  the  tug,  who  never  leaves  ^he  river  and 
harbour,  as  well  as  he  who  runs  a  great  ocean 
steamer,  consult  the   report  of  what   the  winds 
and   the   tides   may   do   on   each   day.      In   like 
manner  it  is  not  so  long  since  all  men  followed 
the  leadership  of  churches  independent,   one  of 
another.     Denominations  numerous  and  different 
used   to   build   their   lines   of   division   high,   as 
though  to  keep  one  another  out.     Doctrinal  dif- 
ferences were  as  varied  as  the  names  of  the  de- 
nominations.    Fierce  persecutions  and  the  bitter- 
est hatreds  rose  over  interpretations  of  the  Word 
of  God.     Wars  growing  out  of  religious  differ- 


4^         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

ences  and  disputes  became  the  common  events  of 
some  time  ago.  But  thank  God  all  these  differ- 
ences are  being  swept  away. 

The  Methodist  neighbours  with  the  Presbyter- 
ian and  the  Congregational  with  the  Baptist.  In 
many  places  about  the  only  way  you  can  tell  what 
kind  of  a  church  you  are  entering  is  by  the  name 
on  the  board  outside.  This  is  the  oneness  of  God's 
people  which  will  give  the  Holy  Spirit  chance  to 
work.  It  is  as  is  said  in  the  first  verse  of  the 
second  chapter  of  Acts, 

"  They  were  all  with  one  accord  in  one  place," 
then  there  came  the  outpouring  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  Oneness  of  purpose  and  of  life  is  neces- 
sary before  the  Holy  Spirit  of  God  shall  have 
time  and  opportunity  to  work  mightily  in  the 
world.  It  is  to  be  an  electrified  world,  all  around 
us.  It  comes  nearly  being  that  now,  for  electric- 
ity is  used  in  hundreds  of  ways.  Insulation  is 
being  more  and  more  removed  so  that  the  world 
may  be  filled  and  moved  and  swayed,  by  this  mys- 
terious, yet  universal  power. 

So  the  world  is  coming  to  be  run  more  and 
more  by  the  great  power  of  God.  He  is  enter- 
ing into  all  life.  The  insulation  is  being  re- 
moved, and  the  world  is  to  be  fully  held  and 
moved  and  swayed  by  the  power  of  God. 

When  we  are  all  with  one  accord  in  one  place, 
this  time  will  come. 

This  nation  had  hard  work  to  perform  its  duty 


The  New  Century  and  Its  Mission     43 

in  1862  when  the  land  was  divided  by  the  seces- 
sion of  some  of  the  states.  How  could  the  Gov- 
ernment perform  its  function  to  the  South,  and 
give  blessings  to  all?  It  could  not.  It  was  only 
after  a  long  and  painful  experience  that  the  whole 
nation  was  again  brought  together  to  be  as  it 
was  formerly,  "  the  land  of  the  free  and  the  home 
of  the  brave."     The  legend, 

"  E  pluribus  unum," 

tells  the  simple  story  of  a  great  land  of  power. 
There  have  been  division  after  division  of  God's 
great  kingdom,  and  how  then  could  the  thrill  of 
one  great  Holy  Spirit  of  God  go  pulsing  through 
the  land.  Man  knows,  as  well  as  does  God,  that 
division  and  separation,  mean  destruction  and 
death;  and  that  union  in  purpose  and  practise 
bring  the  greatest  possible  blessings.  It  is  not 
that  the  individual  only  shall  be  in  harmony  with 
God,  so  that  the  Holy  Spirit  may  establish  the 
great  kingdom,  but  the  whole  world  shall  be  at 
one  with  God's  great  plan  of  redemption.  There 
is  but  one  Bible  given  of  God  because  there  is  to 
be  a  oneness  and  not  a  division  of  knowledge  and 
wisdom.  There  is  but  one  Saviour,  because  there 
is  to  be  a  oneness  and  not  a  division  of  methods 
of  saving  grace.  There  is  but  one  Holy  Spirit 
because  there  is  to  be  one  teaching  of  the  great 
power  of  God,  for  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  teacher. 
There  is  to  be  but  one  heaven,  to  bring  to  us  a 


44         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

uniformity  of   rewards   and   a   union   of  happy 
hearts  in  the  home  of  the  redeemed. 

And  when  the  world — the  Christian  world — 
learns  that  a  union  of  purpose  and  practise  shall 
bring  the  Holy  Spirit  in  power,  then  all  will  be 
electrified  with  the  universal  power  of  God  which 
we  shall  receive  "  after  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is 
come  upon  us."  May  this  glad  time  come  early 
in  this  twentieth  century! 

III.  Witnessing  is  the  third  great  fact  of 

THE  twentieth  CENTURY. 

*'  And  ye  shall  be  witnesses  unto  Me." 
So  large  a  case  was  never  before  called  before  a 
tribunal.  It  concerns  the  whole  human  race  as 
well  as  every  individual.  Every  one  is  to  be  both 
witness  and  juryman.  The  great  Word  and  cause 
of  the  Almighty  is  to  be  established.  The  very 
angels  must  hold  their  breath  in  surprise  at  the 
way  some  testify,  for  not  all  the  witnesses  are 
sworn  to  tell  the  truth,  because  the  Judge  knows 
all  will  not  tell  it  anyhow.  Each  one  takes  the 
oath  or  refuses  as  he  please.  Each  shows  little 
or  much  interest  according  as  he  loves  the  great 
cause  now  on  trial. 

Thank  God  we  are  learning  the  value  of  truth- 
ful testimony.  We,  in  this  land  have  taken  a 
stand  which  puts  us  far  beyond  the  possibility 
of  false  testimony.  We  are  lifted  up  before  the 
eye  of  the  whole  world,  and  there  is  written  across 
our  sky,  in  the  plain  view  of  all,  like  the 


The  New  Century  and  Its  Mission      45 

"  In  hoc  signo  vinces  " 

of  Constantine,  that  talisman  of  world  conquest, 

"Christian"; 

for  we  are  known  as  the  great  Christian  nation. 

The  world  is  to  be  brought  to  Christ  through 
the  witness  bearing  of  His  followers.  To  aid  in 
this,  God  has  added  every  possible  facility.  He 
has  given  the  wealth  of  the  world,  into  the  hands 
of  Christian  people.  Discoveries,  inventions  and 
the  use  of  mechanical  power  has  brought  the 
great  Christian  countries  to  the  front,  and  has 
made  them  the  forerunners  of  the  Gospel  in  the 
heathen  lands.  And  above  all,  there  are  the  sacri- 
ficing missionaries  who  go  as  the  witnesses  to  the 
great  cause  which  is  to  rule  the  world. 

The  greatest  cause  of  the  universe  is  called  and 
must  be  proved,  and  "  ye  are  witnesses  unto  the 
uttermost  parts  of  the  earth." 

Give  righteous  testimony  and  then  take  your 
place  with  those  of  immortal  fame,  and  thus  ful- 
fill the  highest  mission  in  the  new  century. 

"  Hand  in  hand  with  the  angels, 

Blessed  so  to  be, 
Helped  of  all   the  helpers, 

Giving  light  they  see; 
He  that  aids  another, 

Strengthens  more  than  one 
Sinking  earth  he  bindeth, 

To  the  great  white  throne." 


Ill 


THE  PROGRAM   OF  LIFE 


"  He  hath  sent  me  to  heal  the  broken  hearted,  to 
preach  deliverance  to  the  captives,  and  recovery  of  sight 
to  the  blind,  to  preach  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord." 
Luke  4:  18,  19. 

Every  thoughtful  person  has  his  program  of 
action  for  the  day,  for  the  year,  and  for  the  un- 
known future.  To  him  life  is  a  continual  per- 
formance in  which  he  is  both  manager  and  chief 
actor,  with  all  others  grouped  around  him  as 
helpers.  To  know  a  man's  future  is  to  know 
the  man. 

The  greatest  example  of  this  is  Christ,  who  in 
this  text  gives  His  program  of  His  earthly  career. 
He  seized  upon  several  great  facts  in  human  life, 
such  as  the  aching  heart,  the  bondage  of  sin,  the 
blindness  that  comes  from  an  evil  life,  and  tells 
of  His  power  to  change  all  into  the  great  glad 
jubilee  of  God.  It  is  a  life  picture  selected  from 
the  gallery  of  Isaiah,  where  there  was  repre- 
sented the  most  that  was  left  to  Israel  after  their 
wars  and  persecutions  and  captivities,  as  the  most 
that  is  left  after  the  scourging  wars  of  Napoleon 
and  about  him  is  to  be  found  in  the  picture  gal- 
leries which  immortalize  his  name. 
46 


The  Program  of  Life  47 

So  Christ  stood  before  His  earthly  Hfe  with 
definite  aim  and  perfect  plan. 

To-day  we  stand  before  our  future,  the  new 
year,  the  new  century,  the  new  life,  and  arrange 
our  program,  for  we  too  are  immortal.  This 
may  best  be  done  by  catching  the  spirit  of  Him 
whose  purpose  never  changed  and  whose  plan 
never  failed.  He  it  is  who  teaches  us  that  the 
future  is  not  altogether  an  unknown  country,  for 
He  has  passed  through  it.  As  Israel  of  old  wait- 
ing on  the  border  of  the  promised  land,  sent  spies 
to  view  the  country,  and  received  favourable  re- 
ports from  but  two;  so  we  send  our  hopes,  our 
longings,  our  aims,  and  our  faith  to  spy  out  the 
year;  and  though  but  few  report  favourably,  we 
go  forward  sure  of  victory  for  we  are  entering 
the  promised  land.  We  are  facing  westward  in 
these  days  of  swift  progress,  and  as  the  sun  rises 
in  the  East  we  see  in  the  X  ray  shadow  of  our- 
selves before  us,  the  dim  outline  of  our  lives  ac- 
cording to  the  divine  plan.  Longfellow  expresses 
it  in  these  words, 

"  Look  not  mournfully  into  the  past.  It  comes  not 
back  again.  Wisely  improve  the  present,  it  is  thine. 
Go  forth  to  meet  the  shadowy  future  without  fear,  and 
with  a  manly  heart." 

From  to-day  you  will  have  but  little  interest  in 
the  year  1900,  unless  on  account  of  some  unpaid 
bills  and  unsettled  obligations.  You  have  little 
interest  in  1899,  less  in  1898,  and  so  on  back  to 


48         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

childhood.  Most  of  the  past  is  to  be  forgotten. 
You  would  not  repeat  those  years  in  the  same 
way  if  you  could;  at  least  the  future  will  fully 
engage  your  time  and  attention.  The  better,  the 
nobler,  the  larger  our  lives,  the  more  do  we  owe 
to  others.  Paul  was  not  "  debtor  to  the  Greek 
and  to  the  Jew,  to  the  wise  and  to  the  unwise," 
until  he  was  rich  in  the  grace  of  God.  The  igno- 
rant man  must  spend  his  time  in  getting  knowl- 
edge, the  wise  man  in  spending  what  he  has  al- 
ready gained.  We  are  all  more  or  less  wise  in 
this  blessed  land,  therefore  our  plan  differs  mostly 
from  that  of  Christ  in  intensity  and  not  in  kind. 
Christ  had  a  mission,  and  so  have  we.  He  was 
sent,  so  are  we.  This  is  revealed  in  the  text ;  for 
He  was  sent, 

I.  *'  To  HEAL  THE  BROKEN  HEARTED."" 

(What  a  strange  new  treatment.  There  are 
those  who  bind  up  the  broken  arm  and  the  broken 
limb,  but  where  is  the  surgeon  for  the  broken 
heart?  There  are  hospitals  for  the  diseased  body 
and  the  shattered  health,  but  he  who  has  only  the 
broken  heart  must  go  on  until  he  falls  by  the 
way.  There  are  countless  physicians  for  the 
body,  yet  so  few  who  care  for  the  poor  tired  soul. 
But  there  has  come  One  whose  special  mission  is 
to  heal  the  broken  hearted,  and  He  never  fails 
to  cure.  In  the  text  He  speaks  forth  in  words 
from  Isaiah  which  have  been  a  challenge  to  all 
the  world  for  centuries.     No  one  has  disputed 


The  Program  of  Life  49 

their  meaning,  no  one  now   disputes  their  au- 
thority. 

By  the  broken  hearted  He  does  not  mean  merely 
the  discouraged,  for  all  are  at  times  discouraged ; 
nor  the  diseased  for  all  thus  suffer;  nor  yet  the 
disappointed,  but  it  means  especially  those  who 
have  lost  hope.  It  refers  to  the  time  of  captivity 
of  the  Jews  when  they  had  long  since  given  up 
the  thought  of  returning  to  their  own  land,  and 
hence  to  the  hopeless  condition  of  man  in  sin. 

Is  it  not  strange  that  God  should  be  interested 
in  any  one  so  helpless  and  worthless,  the  God 
who  loves  perfection  and  beauty,  and  upon  whom 
imperfection  must  always  jar?  Why  should  He 
be  interested  in  a  ruined  thing?  Because  it  is 
His  nature  to  care  for  the  needy  as  is,  in  a  small 
way,  shown  in  the  physician  who  will  relieve 
suffering  regardless  of  the  pay  he  is  to  receive. 
It  is  His  nature  as  well  as  His  business  to  help 
the  needy.    Why  did  Christ  not  say, 

**  I  am  come  to  associate  with  the  nobles,  to 
feast  with  the  rich,  to  talk  with  governors  and 
princes  and  kings?"  It  was  because  He  had 
no  mission  to  men  who  did  not  need  Him.  But 
the  broken  hearted^  those  without  hope,  how  His 
heart  went  out  to  them!  It  was  the  opportunity 
for  His  power  to  be  revealed.  He  would  now 
prove  His  mission,  as  well  as  to  help  the  needy. 

A  beautiful  vase,  said  to  be  the  most  beautiful 
of  its  kind  in  the  world,  was  not  widely  known 
until  it  was  broken  into  a  hundred  pieces  by  the 


50         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

careless  act  of  a  drunkard.  Then  the  most  ex- 
quisite colouring  and  the  most  beautiful  decora- 
tion was  for  the  first  time  revealed  in  the  broken 
edges.  It  was  carefully  cemented  together  and  is 
now  kept  in  the  British  Museum  of  London,  as 
one  of  the  most  precious  articles  of  all  that  great 
collection.  This  Portland  vase  is  of  vastly  greater 
worth  since  it  was  broken,  for  its  preciousness 
was  thus  revealed. 

May  it  not  be  so  with  the  human  soul?  Not 
only  our  own  greatness  but  also  the  infinite  good- 
ness of  Christ  is  revealed  in  our  recovery  from 
sin.  Christ  is  the  one  who  will  not  only  restore 
life  to  its  former  beauty,  but  will  make  it  far  more 
beautiful  than  man  has  ever  known  in  his  best 
moments.  He  is  ever  willing  to  heal  the  broken 
hearted. 

It  is  said  that  a  young  woman  one  day  entered 
an  insane  asylum  to  see  if  there  was  anyone  there 
whom  she  might  help.  She  was  taken  to  the 
room  of  a  poor  girl,  who  had  been  a  long  time  in 
that  pitiable  condition,  and  who  stood  most  of  the 
time  looking  out  of  the  window.  The  doctor 
said,  "  Speak  to  her."  She  advanced  and  laid 
her  hand  on  the  girl's  arm  and  said  something. 
At  once  the  insane  girl  turned  and  burst  into  tears, 
the  doctor  exclaimed,  "  Thank  heaven,  she  can 
be  cured."  And  she  was.  No  one  could  recall 
the  words  spoken.  It  was  the  touch  of  sympathy 
that  gave  hope  and  recovery.  So  Christ  has 
come  with  His  boundless  sympathy  to  win  us  to 


The  Program  of  Life  51 

Himself  and  so  to  heal  the  broken  hearted.  All 
who  feel  this  touch  may  meet  the  opening  year 
and  the  coming  century  in  the  bright  light  of  hope 
and  with  the  anthem  of  praise. 

"  Not  wholly  lost  O  Father, 
Is  this  evil  world  of  ours, 
Upward  through  its  blood  and  ashes, 
Spring  afresh  the  Eden  flowers." 

II.  "  Deliverance  to  the  captives,"  was  the 

SECOND  PART  OF  ChRIST'S  GREAT  PROGRAM. 

At  this  time  the  prisons  of  Palestine  were 
crowded  with  prisoners.  Yet  Christ  did  not  free 
them,  for  they  were  suffering  the  penalty  of  the 
law  for  crimes  committed  and  He  would  not  inter- 
fere with  the  civil  law.  He  came  not  to  change 
institutions  but  to  change  men,  not  to  work  with 
the  masses  but  with  the  individual.  His  wonder- 
ful discourse  on  the  new  birth  was  given  to  one 
man,  that  is,  to  Nicodemus ;  His  matchless  sermon 
on  the  water  of  life  was  preached  to  the  woman 
at  the  well  at  Sychar;  His  immortal  teaching 
on  the  resurrection  to  the  weeping  sister  of 
Lazarus,  and  most  of  His  other  discourses  were 
to  the  chosen  few.  The  captivity  to  which  He 
refers  is  not  that  of  the  foreign  foe,  or  the  prison 
cell,  but  that  of  the  mind  and  soul  to  sin.  And 
this  is  the  worst  kind  of  bondage  as  the  history 
of  the  world  proves.  Stephen  was  stoned  not  by 
men  of  abandoned  life,  but  by  those  like  Saul  of 


52         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

Tarsus,  who  were  in  captivity  to  wrong  beliefs; 
as  Paul  in  after  life  said  in  regard  to  this  very 
crime,  "  I  verily  thought  I  did  God  service." 
Savonarola  was  executed  by  men  who  were  in 
many  ways  noble,  but  who  were  in  bondage  to 
error.  Christ  Himself  was  crucified  by  men  who 
were  bound  by  the  letter  of  the  law.  It  is  from 
the  captivity  of  sin  that  Christ  has  come  to  set 
us  free.  Yet  the  world  has  not  learned  the  les- 
son. We  are  still  bound  by  our  particular  beliefs 
and  are  constantly  trying  to  bring  all  things,  even 
the  providence  of  God  into  harmony  with  these. 
It  is  often  said, 

"  If  I  were  God  I  would  have  things  different 
in  this  world.  I  would  start  a  revolution  going, 
which  would  sweep  away  all  evil  doers.  I  would 
command  the  lightning  out  of  the  sky  to  strike 
down  him  who  is  unjust.  There  would  be  no 
more  inequalities  between  man  and  man,  for  the 
good  should  have  all  the  wealth  and  the  wicked 
all  the  poverty,  and  I  would  write  my  demands 
across  the  sky  and  keep  that  page  open  forever." 

And  because  God  does  not  manage  the  world 
according  to  such  whims,  man  submits  to  the 
bondage  of  unbelief,  which  may  bind  him  in  chains 
forever. 

The  farmer  sows  his  seed  in  the  field  and  it 
lies  hidden  in  the  grasp  of  the  cold  earth  until  the 
sun  comes  with  his  warmth  of  light,  hunts  for 
it,  finds  it,  and  stirs  it  into  life.  It  is  the  sun 
that  breaks  the  shell  of  the  seed  and  sets  the  germ 


The  Program  of  Life  53 

free.  Not  according  to  the  law  of  the  seed  alone 
but  rather  according  to  the  great  providence  and 
power  of  the  sun  which  wakes  it  to  life.  Thus 
the  seed  sown  in  our  hearts,  lies  dormant  in  the 
conditions  and  circumstances  of  life  until  Christ 
who  is  our  Hfe,  comes  to  bring  forth  all  that  is 
good  and  great  in  us,  not  according  to  the  narrow 
laws  of  our  own  natures,  but  according  to  His 
own  blessed  will.  This  is  the  greatest  deliver- 
ance that  can  come  to  the  captive  for  "  Whom 
Christ  makes  free  he  shall  be  free  indeed." 

III.  "  To  GIVE  SIGHT  TO  THE  BLIND,"  IS  THE 
THIRD  PART  OF  THE  GREAT  PROGRAM  OF 
LIFE. 

Of  what  use  is  freedom  without  sight.  A 
blind  man  must  be  led  by  the  hand  lest  he  stumble 
and  fall.  But  if  his  sight  be  restored  he  can  find 
his  way  alone  anywhere.  Israel,  liberated  from 
bondage  in  Babylon,  needed  sight  by  which  they 
might  go  over  hills,  and  through  valleys,  and 
across  rivers  to  their  own  land.  So  the  progress 
of  Christ's  mission  is  logical,  for  no  sooner  is 
freedom  granted  than  there  is  also  given  the  keen 
vision  that  goes  far  beyond  that  of  the  natural 
eye. 

There  is  a  noted  painting  by  a  famous  artist, 
which  represents  a  blind  girl  sitting  by  the  en- 
trance of  the  Catacombs  and  holding  a  taper  to 
the  traveller  who  is  about  to  enter  the  darkness  of 
those  ancient  homes  of  the  martyrs.     This  ap- 


54         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

parent  paradox  has  its  reahty  in  the  outer  world 
every  day.  The  one  who  may  be  bUnd  to  the 
world's  power  and  fame,  may  furnish  readily  the 
light  for  the  explorer  of  divine  things.  There 
is  a  difference  then  between  the  natural  and  the 
spiritual  vision  and  the  latter  is  of  infinitely 
greater  importance. 

Man  is  constantly  sacrificing  the  sight  of  the 
eye  to  that  of  the  mind  and  soul.  In  one  of  our 
large  colleges  last  year,  the  senior  class  had  43 
per  cent,  of  their  number  who  wore  eye  glasses. 
One  half  of  these  began  to  wear  them  after  they 
were  well  advanced  in  their  course.  That  is,  as 
the  sight  of  the  mind  grew  keener,  the  sight  of 
the  eye  suffered.  The  savage  may  see  eight,  ten 
or  fifteen  miles  over  the  prairie,  but  not  an  inch 
in  mathematics.  The  scholar  may  see  but  a  little 
way  along  the  surface  of  the  earth,  but  he  sees 
millions  of  miles  in  astronomy. 

Old  Homer  was  blind  to  this  world,  but  he  saw 
what  no  one  else  could  see  in  classic  poetry,  and 
pictured  what  no  one  else  could  paint  in  classic 
life. 

John  Milton  was  blind  to  earth  but  he  saw 
Paradise  Lost  and  Paradise  Regained  as  no  other 
human  eye  ever  saw  it. 

Christ  never  promised  to  heal  every  blind  man 
when  He  was  on  earth,  nor  did  He  do  it;  and 
those  whom  He  did  heal  were  examples  of  the 
great  healing  power  in  the  divine  life.  There 
was  many  a  man  when  Christ  walked  upon  the 


The  Program  of  Life  et 

earth,  blinder  than  Bartimeus.  They  looked  at 
Christ  and  then  asked, 

"  Art  thou  He  that  should  come,  or  look  we  for 
another."  The  answer  was,  ''  Come  and  see." 
And  as  they  looked  they  saw  One  whom  the  world 
loves  because  He  will  not  cheat  the  blind,  be- 
cause they  are  blind ;  or  outrun  the  lame  because 
they  are  lame,  or  push  aside  the  palsied  because 
they  are  helpless.  Ah,  there  is  a  new  vision  of 
a  new  life.  This  is  seeing  the  truth  Incarnate 
that  we  may  live  it,  seeing  mercy  that  we  may 
love  it,  seeing  salvation  that  we  may  accept  it. 
This  Is  the  restored  vision  in  the  program  of 
Christ. 

Men  place  lamps  at  the  street  corners  not  be- 
cause travellers  have  no  eyes  but  rather  because 
they  have,  and  are  expected  to  use  them.  God 
has  set  His  revelation  along  the  highway  of  the 
soul,  because  man  has  and  should  use  his  spiritual 
vision. 

You  are  walking  carelessly  along  the  street 
some  dark  night  when  some  one  suddenly  rushes 
out  from  the  side  and  trips  you.  After  that  you 
have  your  eyes  about  you  that  you  may  not  again 
suffer. 

So  as  you  are  hurrying  along  life's  pathway, 
some  one  rushes  out  and  brings  you  to  the  ground. 
For  the  first  time  you  see  plainly,  and  behold  the 
culprit  is  an  ancestor,  fulfilling  the  fourth  com- 
mandment which  says,  that  the  "  Sins  of  the 
fathers  shall  be  visited  upon  the  children  unto 


56         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

the  third  and  fourth  generation  of  them  that  hate 
Me."  This  is  what  they  call  Heredity,  and  by  it 
we  learn  that  we  may  be  wronged  by  our  ances- 
tors as  well  as  by  our  co-temporaries,  and  the 
business  of  the  new  vision  is  to  show  us  where 
the  danger  is. 

It  is  supposed  by  many  that  Paul's  thorn  in  the 
flesh  was  weak  eyes.  It  is  quite  certain  that  his 
eyes  were  so  weak  that  he  had  to  have  an  amanu- 
ensis. And  when  he  did  write  one  epistle  him- 
self, he  called  special  attention  to  it  and  said,  "  See 
with  what  large  letters  (characters)  I  have 
written  unto  you  with  mine  own  hand."  He  who 
could  see  so  poorly  with  the  natural  vision,  was 
caught  up  to  the  third  heaven  and  saw  things 
which  human  language  could  not  describe,  and 
which  the  human  mind  could  not  comprehend. 

There  is  many  a  poor  soul  rejected  of  men  and 
bound  to  the  daily  drudgery,  who  sees  further  in 
the  glories  of  God  than  can  earth's  wisest  philos- 
opher. There  are  parents  and  Sabbath  School 
teachers  who  have  keener  vision  in  spiritual 
things  than  all  the  kings  and  queens  of  earth, 
because  Christ  has  given  them  the  true  recovery 
of  sight. 

iv.  "  to  preach  the  acceptable  year  of  the 
Lord,"  is  the  fourth  part  of  the  great 

PROGRAM    OF   ChRIST. 

It  is  hard  to  find  any  time  that  is  acceptable  to 
man.    There  is  always  sornething  wrong  with  the 


The  Program  of  Life  57 

days;  they  are  too  hot  or  too  cold,  too  long  or 
too  short.  Yet  God  finds  an  acceptable  year.  He 
is  less  critical  and  more  charitable  toward  us  than 
we  are  toward  Him,  and  yet  He  is  perfect  and  we 
are  not.  The  disciples  at  one  time  could  not  bear 
the  men  who  did  not  do  as  they  wished,  and  so 
they  asked  Christ, 

"  Wilt  Thou  that  we  command  fire  to  come 
down  out  of  heaven  and  consume  them  ?  "  But 
Christ  rebuked  them  and  taught  them  to  honour 
any  man  who  did  a  noble  deed,  whatever  was  his 
method.  Any  victory  for  good  is  acceptable  to 
the  Lord. 

The  acceptable  year  to  the  Jews  was  the  year 
of  Jubilee,  when  slaves  were  freed  and  debts  were 
paid  and  claims  were  settled  and  rewards  were 
given  for  all  service  and  ioy  was  the  key  note 
of  all  life.  Christ  holds  this  up  as  the  hope  of 
the  Christian  era,  and  no  year  has  so  good  a  right 
to  it  as  this  the  opening  year  of  the  century. 

"  The  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord  ?  "  Why 
did  He  stop  there  ?  Why  did  He  not  read  the  rest 
of  the  sentence,  as  He  was  reading  about  Him- 
self from  the  Prophecy  of  Isaiah?  Why  did  He 
not  read,  "  And  the  day  of  vengeance  of  our 
God?" 

Because  He  came  to  destroy  vengeance  which 
He  put  away  in  Himself,  for  all  who  will  believe 
and  trust  Him.  He  broke  a  sentence  in  two  in 
order  to  leave  that  out.  It  is  not  that  God's  anger 
is  cold  or  His  wrath  dead.    No,  no.     But  Christ 


58         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

was  there  to  receive  the  effect  of  God's  vengeance 
in  Himself.  It  was  Christ's  sacrifice  that  made 
the  time  acceptable  unto  God.  His  whole  life 
led  up  to  this.  When  He  preached,  when  He 
worked  miracles,  when  He  moved  the  hearts  of 
His  followers,  He  studied  not  so  much  to  be 
pleasing  to  the  people  as  to  be  acceptable  to  the 
Father;  and  He  never  failed.  He  can  as  easily 
make  our  lives  as  acceptable  to  the  Father,  and 
that  is  His  mission.  All  of  our  hopes  of  happi- 
ness are  here  for  the  acceptable  time  to  God  is 
when  our  lives  are  in  harmony  with  His  plan. 
Hence  He  looks  more  at  the  attitude  than  at  the 
action. 

The  acceptable  time  in  the  family  is  when  the 
children  are  all  in  loving  accord  with  the  hopes 
and  desires  of  the  parents.  The  acceptable  time 
to  the  business  man  is  when  all  in  his  employ 
are  earnestly  striving  to  carry  out  the  great 
schemes  he  has  set  agoing.  The  acceptable  time 
in  the  Church  is  when  there  is  peace  and  harmony 
of  effort  in  executing  God's  purpose. 

God's  great  will  is  not  that  we  should  struggle 
against  Him  or  against  circumstances,  but  that 
we  should  accept  the  divine  plan  and  enjoy  His 
favour  always.  What  can  a  passenger  do  on  a 
great  ocean  steamer  in  time  of  a  storm  ?  Can  he 
stay  with  his  uplifted  hand  the  oncoming  gale? 
Can  he  with  his  breath  blow  back  the  fierce  fly- 
ing wind  ?  Can  he  hold  and  guide  the  great  ship 
when  he  has  no  power  over  it  and  does  not  know 


The  Program  of  Life  59 

distances  or  directions  and  when  the  stars  are 
shut  out  by  dense  darkness?  No!  He  can  not, 
nor  will  he  try.  He  can  only  obey  the  captain 
who  has  mastered  the  sea  in  a  thousand  storms. 
He  is  acceptable  to  the  captain  when  he  is  obedi- 
ent to  the  great  power  which  safely  holds  and 
guides  the  ship. 

So  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord,  which 
Christ  came  to  preach,  and  which  all  of  His 
heralds  since  have  proclaimed,  is  the  time  when 
Christ  fulfills  His  program,  completes  His  plan 
for  our  lives,  and  brings  peace  to  the  soul  no 
matter  what  may  have  been  the  storms  raging 
about  us. 

We  stood  beneath  one  of  the  great  echo  domes 
of  the  old  world  and  made  sounds,  some  musical, 
some  discordant ;  but  they  all  came  back  as  sweet 
music.  The  harsh  and  discordant  sounds  were 
changed  to  harmony  and  rhythm ;  the  musical  to 
sweeter  music,  because  only  such  sounds  could 
come  from  that  beautiful  dome.  There  is  an  echo 
dome  of  God  above  us  all  and  when  we  stand  in 
the  right  place  in  His  province,  we  shall  hear 
only  the  sweet  strains  of  the  glad  Jubilee  of  God, 
the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord,  the  fulfillment 
of  the  divinely  arranged  program  of  life. 


IV 

LABOURERS   TOGETHER   WITH   GOD 

"  For  we  are  labourers  together  with  God  ]  ye  are 
God's  husbandry;  ye  are  God's  building." — i  Corinth- 
ians 3:  p. 

There  is  everywhere  a  definite  belief  that  God 
is  in  the  world  executing  His  own  will.  On  no 
Other  theory  can  we  explain  the  flow,  the  change, 
and  the  transformation  of  history.  But  how  near 
does  God  come  to  men  and  events,  and  for  what? 
These  are  the  questions  of  the  morning.  And 
they  are  answered  very  plainly  in  the  text. 

1.  "  Ye  are  labourers  together  with  God." 

Then  God  comes  into  personal  contact  with 
all,  and  into  special  relation  to  those  that  love 
Him.  The  destiny  of  a  man  who  is  loyal  to  God 
is  linked  with  the  divine  nature.  Such  a  one  has 
the  special  attention  of  the  God  of  the  universe, 
the  One  in  whom  he  may  find  whatever  is  need- 
ful in  the  daily  life. 

Leading  up  to  a  city  of  Austria  is  a  bridge  in 
the  parapets  of  which  are  many  statues  of  Christ. 
One  represents  Him  as  the  Sower.  And  as  the 
farmer  goes  by  in  the  early  morning,  he  stops 
to  do  honour  to  Him  in  whose  hands  are  the  winds 
60 


Labourers  Together  With  God        6i 

and  the  rain  and  the  germs  hidden  in  the  seed. 
Another  statue  represents  Christ  as  the  Carpenter, 
and  as  the  workman  goes  by  he  stops  to  worship 
Him  who  said, 

"  Except  the  Lord  build  the  house,  they  labour 
in  vain  who  build  it."  Then  there  is  the  statue 
of  the  great  Physician  who  is  the  human  healer's 
model  and  inspiration  as  he  hurries  along  on  his 
mission  of  mercy.  And  later  in  the  day  when  the 
sun  has  kissed  away  the  dew  from  the  grass,  the 
sick  and  discouraged  come  to  thank  Him  for  help, 
who  is  Physician  of  both  soul  and  body.  So  in 
the  bridge  every  form  of  life  may  find  represented 
a  Saviour  to  suit  his  need. 

In  the  approach  to  the  next  world,  nay  in  every 
avenue  of  this  life  there  is  the  presence  of  the 
infinite  God,  for  the  needy  time  of  every  soul. 
As  truly  as  Christ  talked  with  Mary  at  the  tomb 
and  she  knew  Him  not,  and  stood  on  the  banks 
of  the  sea  of  Galilee  and  watched  the  disciples 
fishing  and  was  by  them  unobserved,  and  walked 
with  the  two  disciples  on  the  way  to  Emmaus 
and  was  taken  for  a  traveller,  so  truly  is  He  with 
us  watching  us  in  every  move,  walking  with  us 
by  the  way  and  talking  with  us  in  the  trying  mo- 
ments of  life.  It  is  then  our  business  to  learn  that 
we  are  labourers  together  with  God. 

But  how  are  we  to  be  labourers  together  with 
God?  In  the  easiest  and  simplest  way,  that  is  by 
finding  His  will  and  plan  for  us  and  conforming 
to  it  just  as  nearly  as  we  can. 


62         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

How  does  a  man  grow  strong  after  the  physi- 
cian has  killed  the  disease  in  him?  He  has  had 
a  hard  fight  and  though  he  won,  the  fierceness  of 
the  struggle  has  left  him  very  weak.  Does  he 
now  come  back  to  health  by  breaking  every  law 
of  body  and  mind?  No,  but  rather  by  keeping 
every  law  and  becoming  in  the  very  simplest  way 
a  worker  together  with  God.  So  in  the  spiritual 
life,  we  bring  these  powers  up  to  God  by  being 
obedient  to  His  will  and  so  gaining  divine  power. 

A  century  ago  there  was  a  great  discovery 
made,  that  of  the  planet  Neptune.  And  how  was 
this  made?  Did  Le  Verrier  the  astronomer  look 
and  look  till  he  saw  it  with  the  naked  eye?  Did 
he  build  a  very  high  scaffolding  to  come  nearer 
to  the  planet?  No,  for  these  are  unreasonable 
ways.  But  he  did  take  the  laws  written  in  the 
sky,  and  in  lines  and  angles,  and  as  taught  in 
mathematics,  and  studied  to  bring  himself  into 
conformity  with  these  as  one  would  study  the 
laws  of  God  in  His  holy  Word  to  know  the  di- 
vine will.    And  when  he  did  so  he  said, 

"  There,  at  a  certain  point  2,862,457,cmdo  miles 
away  from  the  sun  and  in  longitude  326  degrees 
must  be  a  planet.  The  agitation  among  the 
heavenly  bodies  shows  it."  Just  so  one  studying 
God's  Word  would  say, 

"  There  must  be  a  Saviour,  for  the  agitation  in 
human  experience  shows  it." 

So  they  turned  their  telescope  to  the  place  des- 
ignated as  in  accordance  with  God's  plan  of  the 


Labourers  Together  With  God    ^    6;^ 

heavens,  and  behold  the  planet  flashed  in  view 
just  where  God's  law  said  it  would.  Le  Verrier 
who  made  the  computation  was  a  worker  together 
with  God.  He  found  God's  plan  and  conformed 
to  it. 

There  was  no  change  in  the  heavens.  The 
planets  wheeled  on  just  the  same.  Neptune  suf- 
fered no  jar  when  it  was  discovered.  The  change 
was  all  in  the  astronomer  Le  Verrier,  for  he 
brought  himself  into  conformity  with  the  laws 
and  will  of  God. 

Now  it  is  the  essence  of  religion  that  we  put 
ourselves  in  line  with  God's  nature  and  plan. 
That  is  what  we  find  in  this  story.    One  said, 

"  I  am  of  Paul,"  the  great  debater  and  Chris- 
tian logican.  Another  said,  "  I  am  of  Apollos," 
the  great  Christian  orator.    But  Paul  said, 

"  You  have  missed  the  meaning,  for  what  mat- 
ters it  whether  it  be  of  Paul  or  of  Apollos  or 
Cephas?  These  are  only  ministers,  but  Christ 
giveth  the  increase."  It  is  the  union  of  effort 
each  striving  for  the  divine  approval  that  brings 
success  to  any  work. 

Let  us  through  much  prayer  and  the  constant 
study  of  God's  Word  learn  His  will  as  Le  Ver- 
rier found  it  in  the  sky.  There  we  shall  be  able 
to  lead  others  in  the  way  of  life. 

The  Church  is  the  great  school  of  God  where 
we  shall  come  into  the  power  of  seeing  eternal 
things.  When  we  shall  learn  to  be  forbearing 
and  forgiving  and  helpful,  where  we  shall  have 


64         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

the  clear  vision  by  which  we  shall  see  further  into 
the  mysteries  of  God  than  Le  Verrier  saw  into  the 
sky  when  he  discovered  the  planet  Neptune.  We 
shall  count  these  privileges  of  the  church  es- 
sential in  our  development  of  manhood  and 
womanhood  for  eternity.  We  shall  consider  that 
we  have  lost  something  which  can  never  be  re- 
covered when  we  have  missed  the  services.  We 
shall  pray  for  one  another  that  in  the  union  of 
heart  and  hand  we  shall  come  into  the  largest 
power. 

The  French  do  not  usually  say  that  they  are 
going  to  church  but  rather  that  they  are  going  to 
assist  in  the  service.  It  is  a  beautiful  saying 
which  clearly  states  that  the  Master  needs  us  as 
really  as  we  need  Him.  A  union  of  the  human 
and  the  divine  is  necessary  to  the  best  results 
in  life. 

Labourers  together  with  God?  It  is  well  that 
it  is  so.  If  God  were  labourer  together  with  us, 
then  we  would  have  the  greater  responsibility,  but 
as  it  is  God  bears  the  greatest  responsibility,  for 
we  are  labourers  together  with  Him. 

He  ought  then  to  have  His  way.  The  child 
goes  to  his  father  and  says, 

''Papa,  I  will  do  just  as  you  say!  You  may 
plan  my  life  with  your  greater  wisdom  and  tell 
me  what  to  do  and  I  will  do  it."  Then  will  that 
father  plan  the  worst  sort  of  life  of  sin  and  suffer- 
ing for  that  boy  ?  Will  he  treat  him  cruelly  ?  Re- 
member that  he  is  that  boy's  father  and  these 


Labourers  Together  With  God        65 

questions  will  be  answered  in  your  heart  even 
before  you  speak.  As  soon  as  we  conform  in 
spirit,  in  love,  and  life  to  God's  will  and  plan,  we 
have  a  Father,  perfect  in  love  and  justice  who 
does  all  that  we  will  let  Him  do,  for  our  joy  and 
happiness  and  progress  in  righteousness. 

We  have  a  large  number  of  explicit  statements 
from  Him  to  this  effect. 

"  All  things  work  together  for  good  to  them 
that  love  Him,  and  to  them  who  are  the  called 
according  to  •  His  purpose."  "  Will  a  mother 
forget  her  little  babe?"  ''Yes,  she  may,  but  I 
will  not  forget  thee.  I  will  never  leave  thee 
nor  forsake  thee."  "  I  will  strengthen  thee,  yea, 
I  will  help  thee,  yea,  I  will  uphold  thee  with  the 
right  hand  of  My  righteousness."  Yes,  God  has 
a  deep  personal  interest  in  us. 

But  the  Christian  life,  this  working  together 
with  God,  is  not  to  be  a  life  of  idleness,  but  one 
of  tireless  activity  in  the  same  direction  in  which 
God  is  busiest,  that  is,  in  saving  life.  If  there  is 
anything  that  makes  a  man  sad  it  is  that  his  son 
is  leading  a  desecrated,  disgraceful,  and  wasting 
life.  He,  as  father,  has  spent  a  great  deal  of 
time  and  money  to  bring  that  boy  to  a  pure,  noble 
manhood.  Yet  it  is  all  in  vain.  Over  and  over 
you  will  hear  him  say. 

"  I  would  rather  he  had  died,"  and  he  really 
would.  It  is  the  wasted  life  that  hurts  the  father. 
If  God  is  ever  sad  it  must  be  at  ruined  life.  He 
longs  for  it,  He  waits  for  it,  He  works  with  it. 


66         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

Then  He  expects  us  to  work  with  Him.  When 
one  of  the  family  is  lost  all  the  rest  turn  out  to 
hunt  for  him.  So  God  would  have  us  work  for 
the  recovery  of  lost  life.  He  has  done  His  part 
in  the  work  and  sacrifice  of  his  Son.  Shall  we 
do  ours? 

If  Christ's  mission  was  great,  yours  is  also 
great.  What  would  you  think  of  a  Saviour  who 
would  come  from  the  sky  to  save  Himself  all  the 
trouble  and  suffering  possible — that  we  might 
bear  it?  You  would  not  think  much  of  such  a 
Saviour.  And  yet  that  is  the  position  we  assume. 
We  try  to  save  ourselves.  We  try  to  gain  all  the 
pleasure  we  can,  even  at  the  expense  of  others. 
A  poor  sort  of  physician  would  he  be  who  would 
not  go  to  help  the  sufferer,  because  it  cost  him 
some  time,  even  though  the  patient  could  not  pay 
him  in  money.  There  is  a  universal  feeling 
among  men  that  suffering  must  be  relieved,  and 
that  man  has  a  large  part  in  the  work. 

With  all  our  powers  we  should  bend  to  this 
task  of  preaching  and  living  a  helpful  gospel,  one 
that  will  ever  witness  to  the  Saviour  of  men. 

A  young  man  in  New  York  has  rescued  twenty 
people  from  drowning  at  one  of  the  piers.  He 
says  he  wants  to  live  until  he  saves  one  hundred. 
He  chooses  work  near  the  water,  where  his  hands 
are  busy  with  his  daily  toil  until  he  hears  the  cry 
of  the  drowning,  then  he  rushes  forth,  leaving 
all  to  save  life.  O  that  we  might  be  filled  with 
the  same  burning  zeal  to  rescue  the  perishing. 


Labourers  Together  With  God        67 

So  God  has  given  us  the  beautiful  mission  of 
saving  life  and  lifting  it  to  the  divine  companion- 
ship, where  "  We  are  labourers  together  with 
God." 

II.  "  Ye  are  His  husbandry." 

Then  God  works  specially  upon  the  hearts  and 
lives  of  His  followers.  This  is  not  strange.  You 
would  expect  God  to  have  some  way  of  express- 
ing Himself  to  the  world. 

There  are  ways  of  working  upon  the  minds  of 
others.  One  in  speaking  to  an  audience  works 
somewhat  upon  the  minds  of  the  hearers.  The 
teacher  in  the  school  tills  soil  as  truly  as  the 
gardener  cultivates  his  garden;  but  the  teacher 
tills  the  soil  of  the  mind.  So  it  is  that  God 
is  the  worker  in  the  world  in  a  strange  and 
mysterious  way.  As  the  child  in  school  does 
not  know  that  his  mind  is  being  cultivated,  be- 
cause he  does  not  know  the  process,  so  we  may 
be  ignorant  of  God's  way,  and  yet  the  truth 
stands.  O  how  wonderful  is  God,  that  He  should 
come  to  us  to  teach  us  His  will  and  His  way. 
O  that  He  should  consider  our  hearts  His  place 
to  work!  O  that  He  should  drive  out  the  evil, 
the  low,  the  sensual  and  put  in  their  place  all  that 
is  good  and  true  and  beautiful.  It  is  His  tillage 
and  it  is  His  right. 

But  the  other  half  of  this  truth  is  that  He  works 
not  only  upon  man's  heart,  but  upon  the  world 
through  human  agency. 


68         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

The  history  of  the  world  is  one  long  testimony 
to  this  great  fact.  The  discovery  of  America  had 
to  wait  for  man.  Inventions  also,  and  the  power 
of  rapid  transportation,  and  all  had  to  wait  for 
man,  and  God  only  worked  through  him  to  ac- 
complish these  things. 

In  like  manner  the  reason  why  missions  have 
gone  slowly  is  because  God  has  had  poor  ma- 
terial to  work  with,  or  not  enough  of  what  was 
good.  Africa  and  India  and  China,  and  all 
other  mission  fields  will  be  won  for  Christ  just  so 
sure  as  there  are  enough  consecrated  lives  on 
whom  God  can  work  in  converting  these  peoples. 

And  this  is  not  without  its  lesson  to  us.  There 
are  here  within  the  range  of  this  church  many  on 
whom  God  will  work,  but  it  must  be  through  us. 
Shall  we  be  willing?  Shall  we  be  God's  hus- 
bandry ? 

"  Shall  we  whose  souls  are  lighted  with  wisdom  from 
on  high, 
Shall  we  to  men  benighted,  the  Lamp  of  life  deny? 

III.  "  Ye  are  God's  building." 

This  is  the  completed  work.  There  now  it 
stands  for  approval. 

Paul  used  this  figure  because  some  of  the  most 
beautiful  buildings  of  the  day  were  in  Corinth, 
and  these  Corinthians  to  whom  he  wrote  these 
words,  would  at  once  see  the  lesson.  It  is  as 
though  he  were  with  them,  and  he  had  pointed 
to  those  magnificent  structures  whose  beauty  is 


Labourers  Together  With  God        69 

still  known  the  world  over  in  the  Corinthian  style 
of  architecture,  and  had  said :  "  See,  there  is  the 
best  that  man  can  do.  That  is  the  glory  of  the 
whole  earth.  But  ye  are  the  architecture  of  God, 
made  by  His  own  hand,  and  ye  are  the  glory  of 
heaven." 

O  it  is  precious  to  know  that  God  is  bringing 
us  to  completion,  and  that  e'er  long,  we  shall 
stand  forth  with  finished  work,  and  He  shall  say 
of  this  new  creation  as  He  said  of  the  old, 

"  It  is  very  good." 

No  longer  may  it  be  said :  "  You  are  the  archi- 
tect of  your  own  fortune,"  but  rather.  ''  We  are 
God's  building."  Now  we  know  why  life  has 
not  gone  just  as  we  had  planned.  Now  we  know 
why  one  room  in  the  heart  is  large  and  another 
small,  why  there  has  been  clay  used  sometimes 
where  we  would  rather  have  had  granite.  It  is 
because  God  has  the  plans,  and  He  is  bringing 
the  building  to  completion  to  suit  Himself;  and 
why  not,  for  He  alone  knows  how  to  build  for 
eternity.  To  know  that  e'er  long  we  shall  be  His 
building,  completed  according  to  the  divine  plan, 
to  know  that  there  will  be  nothing  kept  that 
ought  to  be  lost,  and  nothing  lost  that  should  be 
kept — this  is  our  inspiration  for  to-day,  for  this 
life  and  for  eternity. 

During  a  little  rest  from  the  hard  work  of  busy 
pastorates  my  friend  and  I  were  travelling  in  the 
mountains  of  old  Virginia.     As  night  came  on, 


70         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

we  turned  aside  from  the  country  road  to  a  beau- 
tifully lighted  house.  We  wondered  why  the 
lights  were  burning  so  brightly.  We  went  to  the 
door  and  asked  for  lodging.  My  name  somehow 
attracted  the  attention  of  the  fine  looking  gentle- 
man who  met  us  and  we  were  invited  in,  and 
enjoyed  all  the  great  hospitality  of  that  beautiful 
home. 

Then  we  learned  why  there  was  rejoicing  there 
and  why  the  lights  were  all  burning.  The  gen- 
tleman who  entertained  us  was  one  of  the  most 
noted  sculptors  of  the  land.  He  had  just  com- 
pleted a  statue  of  the  great  General,  Robert  E. 
Lee,  and  he  was  rejoicing  in  his  triumph.  He 
told  us  about  his  trials,  his  discouragements,  his 
difficulties.  But  these  after  all  only  seemed  in- 
cidents to  the  one  great  event,  for  the  next  day 
the  statue  was  to  be  unveiled  before  the  great 
throng  of  witnesses. 

So  one  day  the  brilliant  light  of  God  shall  shine 
upon  this  dark  world  in  commemoration  of  a 
great  event.  How  long  it  has  taken  to  come  to 
this  moment.  With  what  infinite  pains  all  has 
been  done.  Man  would  have  given  up  the  work 
long  ago,  but  God  is  never  discouraged.  And 
now  it  is  done,  the  workmanship  of  God,  your- 
self, for  '*  ye  are  His  workmanship,  created  anew 
in  Christ."  We  shall  be  unveiled  in  eternity,  in 
the  great  throng  of  witnesses  which  no  man  can 
number,  in  the  brilliant  light  of  heaven  before  the 
throne  of  God,  and  hearing  the  words.  "  Ye  are 
His  workmanship."    "  Ye  are  complete  in  Him." 


THE    POWER    OF    THE    GOSPEL 

"  I  am  not  ashamed  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  for  it  is 
the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every  one  that  be- 
lieveth." — Romans  i:  i6. 

The  greatest  power  in  the  world  is  not  that 
of  steam  or  electricity  or  dynamite,  or  even  of 
the  newspaper,  which  is  the  power  of  man  unto 
education;  but  it  is  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  which 
is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation,  the  good 
news  from  Heaven. 

Nothing  so  moves  the  world  as  news.  The 
story  of  invention,  of  discovery,  of  philanthropy, 
of  heroism,  of  the  nation's  prosperity,  of  the  suc- 
cess of  the  army  and  navy,  fascinates  the  world 
and  makes  of  every  man's  face  a  question  mark, 
and  his  life  an  expression  of  hunger  more  intense 
than  that  of  the  half-starved  body  for  food.  Good 
news  arouses  the  stupid,  interests  the  intense, 
cheers  the  discouraged,  lifts  the  brow  of  hope, 
and  swings  open  the  door  of  life  to  a  successful 
future.  Can  anything  do  more  than  this,  which 
seems  the  limit  of  possibility? 

The  text  answers,  yes.  For  there  is  one  power 
greater  than  any  or  all  of  these.  It  is  the  power 
of  the  Gospel  of  Christ  to  every  one  v/ho  believes. 
71 


72         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

It  is  that  which  pieces  out  the  small  possibility 
in  the  human  life  and  makes  us  acceptable  above. 
It  is  the  new  power  in  the  world,  for  it  was  in- 
troduced after  the  creation  was  finished  and  when 
our  first  parents  had  disobeyed  God  and  found 
themselves  in  sin.  Their  question  then  was, 
"  How  may  we  come  again  into  right  relations 
with  God?" 

The  answer  came  quickly  from  God,  as  out  of 
an  open  sky :  "  Right  relations  with  the  Al- 
mighty may  again  be  established  through  Christ, 
who  is  the  power  of  the  Gospel  of  God,  for  He 
is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  every  one 
that  believeth." 

This  is  the  ever-living  question,  and  this,  too, 
is  the  never  changing  answer. 

It  is  the  new  and  supreme  power  in  the  world. 
Yet  it  does  not  attempt  to  manage  commerce,  or 
run  railroads,  or  print  newspapers,  or  rule  gov- 
ernments. These  and  ten  thousand  other  things 
are  assigned  to  man. 

But  this  power  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ  comes 
to  do  what  has  never  been  done  aside  from  it  and 
that  which  no  other  power  can  accomplish.  And 
what  is  this? 

I.   To  BRING  THE  STORY  OF  PARDON,  IS  THE  FIRST 
GREAT   POWER   OF  THE   GoSPEL. 

The  cry  of  every  life  from  Eden  to  the  present 
moment  is  for  pardon.  All  voices  utter  it,  all 
ears  hear  it  and  no  noise  of  earth  can  still  this 


The  Power  of  The  Gospel  y^ 

cry.     Ever  and  anon  it  goes  up  from  the  im- 
prisoned human  soul. 

A  man  walks  out  of  the  presence  of  the  offi- 
cials, having  paid  the  penalty  of  his  crime  in 
money  or  in  daily  toil,  and  is  called  a  free  man. 
But  if  that  is  all,  he  is  not  ire'e.  He  is  as  much 
bound  in  soul  as  ever,  for  all  that  judge  and  jury 
and  civil  law  can  do  relates  only  to  his  circum- 
stances, to  his  conditions  in  the  world.  But  sin 
is  not  so  much  a  thing  of  outer  conditions  as  of 
inner  life,  which  civil  law  can  not  reach. 

A  man  is  not  free  simply  because  he  can  walk 
the  streets  and  has  the  liberty  of  coming  and 
going  as  he  may  please.  Sin  is  not  only  a  crime 
against  man,  but  also  against  God.  Sin  has  so 
taken  hold  of  the  inner  life  that  we  can  not  breathe 
it  out  of  us  at  will,  or  work  it  off  by  some  form 
of  exercise,  or  cast  it  aside  as  we  would  discard 
a  wornout  garment.  And  the  world,  with  its 
myriad  discoveries  and  inventions,  has  not  found 
any  way  by  which  it  may  relieve  the  human  soul 
of  this  burden  of  guilt. 

The  world  is  more  concerned  with  this  ques- 
tion than  with  any  or  all  others.  It  writes  its 
story  on  the  careworn  face  of  the  mother,  who 
in  her  deep  poverty  wonders  if  it  is  wrong  to  do 
some  things  which  men  usually  condemn  that  she 
may  get  bread  for  the  children.  It  follows  the 
young  man  to  his  poorly  furnished  room  after  he 
has  been  obliged  to  do  a  dishonest  thing  rather 
than  lose  his  position.    It  faces  the  young  woman 


74         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

when  temptations  come  like  a  mighty  rolling  sea. 
It  goes  on  up  into  the  great  store  and  the  ele- 
gantly furnished  office,  where  the  race  for  wealth 
goes  on  the  swift  wings  of  electricity,  and  where 
men  hurl  the  human  voice  half  way  across  the 
continent  to  complete  a  bargain  that  may  have 
in  it  millions  of  dollars  and  millions  of  human 
lives. 

The  court  of  conscience  is  yet  to  be  passed. 
No  human  barrister,  in  his  own  strength,  has 
ever  won  a  single  case  here;  no  human  appeal 
has  yet  stayed  a  single  proceeding,  no  plea  of 
pity  has  ever  moved  a  single  feature  in  the  face 
of  this  stern  Judge,  and  not  all  the  earth's  riches 
has  ever  moved  Him  from  the  right  so  much  as 
the  breadth  of  a  hair.  Socrates  says  these  facts 
must  be  reckoned  with  as  much  as  the  laws  of 
heat  and  cold,  and  all  human  experience  shows 
that  he  was  only  speaking  the  solemn  truth  of 
God. 

A  short  time  ago  there  appeared  in  the  papers 
the  account  of  a  man  who  came  from  somewhere 
in  the  West,  2,000  miles  to  Boston  to  request  that 
he  be  declared  guilty  and  made  to  serve  out  a 
sentence  for  a  crime.  Yet  no  police  authority  had 
ever  laid  a  hand  on  him,  no  jury  had  ever  heard 
his  case,  no  Judge  in  earthly  court  had  ever  pro- 
nounced sentence  upon  him.  But  he  had  for 
years  been  before  the  court  of  conscience,  where 
he  found  sheriff,  judge  and  jury  all  in  one,  and 
had  been  condemned. 


The  Power  of  The  Gospel  75 

A  more  powerful  court  it  was  than  any  of 
earth,  and  it  was  the  only  one  which  could  lead 
the  man  to  true  liberty.  In  such  a  case  it  seems 
almost  a  pleasure  for  a  man  to  confess,  because 
in  it  he  has  found  the  pardon  of  God,  the  power 
of  God  unto  salvation. 

Yes,  the  tragedies  of  life  have  been  along  this 
line,  and  the  masterpieces  of  literature  have  told 
the  same  story,  as  in  the  writings  of  Sophocles, 
Dante,  Milton,  Goethe,  Byron  and  Shakespeare. 
But  no  man  has  found  a  relief.  That  is  furnished 
by  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  which  is  the  power  of 
the  pardon  of  God  to  every  one  that  believes. 

Look  at  it!  Sin  is  a  power  to  be  reckoned 
with  in  your  life,  and  there  must  be  a  greater 
power  to  oppose  and  destroy  it.  The  theory  of 
medicine  to-day,  is  not  to  try  to  educate  a  man 
out  of  the  disease  which  has  taken  fast  hold  upon 
him,  but  to  provide  something  that  will  destroy 
the  disease.  This  is  true  also  in  the  case  of  sin. 
Christ  is  the  counter  force,  the  supreme  power 
who  has  come  to  break  the  power  of  sin  and  grant 
pardon.  His  cure  is  that  of  divine  surgery.  It 
is  treatment  if  possible,  amputation  if  necessary, 
but  always  the  exercise  of  a  power  far  beyond 
that  of  man.  His  miracles  show  this,  for  they 
are  lessons  in  His  sin-destroying  power.  He  re- 
stored alike  the  man  who  was  born  blind,  the 
leper,  the  palsied,  the  possessed  with  a  devil, 
without  asking  any  reward  in  return.  He  was 
not  willing  that  there  should  be  deformity  in  the 


76         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

human  body,  nor  is  He  willing  that  there  shall  be 
weakness  and  sin  in  the  spiritual  nature.  So  He 
longs  to  pardon  and  free  from  guilt  all  who  will 
believe  in  Him.  Others  may  diagnose  the  case, 
He  alone  can  cure. 

He  is  the  one  who  pleads  our  cause  before  the 
tribunal  of  Conscience  as  welh  as  before  the  bar 
of  God.  He  has  never  lost  a  case.  He  has  al- 
ways, when  allowed  by  us,  procured  a  stay  of 
proceedings  and  secured  a  pardon,  making  us 
acceptable  to  ourselves  and  to  the  Father.  This 
is  what  gives  us  true  happiness,  energizing  us 
with  divine  life,  and  setting  our  lives  in  harmony 
with  God's  life,  so  that  we  approach  more  nearly 
to  the  measure  of  the  stature  of  the  fulness  of 
Christ. 

Will  such  a  power,  wonderful  and  supreme, 
ever  fail  to  be  helpful?    No,  not 

"  As  long  as  the  heart  has  passions, 
As  long  as  life  has  woes." 

For  this  is  the  power  of  God  to  every  one  that 
believeth. 

H.    To   BRING   THE    STORY   OF    SALVATION   IS    THE 
SECOND  GREAT  MISSION  OF  THE  GoSPEL. 

This  does  not  mean  merely  salvation  from 
death,  but  also  from  sin  and  all  its  forces.  It  is 
the  great  interest  of  salvation  to  see  that  life 
grows  larger  and  larger.  That  this  may  be  pos- 
sible there  must  be  that  intimate  and  immediate 


The  Power  of  The  Gospel  77 

union  with  Christ  which  Paul  always  preached 
and  which  every  healthy  Christian  enjoys.  It  is 
granted  '*  To  every  one  who  believeth,"  as  the 
rest  of  the  text  states.  The  first  act  of  salvation 
is  only  the  beginning  of  a  life  which  is  to  continue 
forever  in  goodness  and  greatness.  That  is  what 
life  is  for,  to  increase  and  expand  and  enlarge. 

"  Herein  is  my  Father  glorified,  that  ye  bear 
much  fruit,"  said  Christ  in  one  of  His  greatest 
discourses.  Hence  the  Gospel  is  not  only  the 
story  of  pardon,  but  also  the  story  of  that  which 
keeps  a  man,  and  saves  his  life  after  he  is  for- 
given. 

The  difference  between  saving  the  soul  and  sav- 
ing the  life,  is  that  of  saving  the  seed  planted  in 
the  earth  with  the  earth  itself,  and  saving  the 
harvest  that  may  grow  from  the  seed.  The  farmer 
is  concerned  with  the  seed  and  the  field  of  course, 
because  without  them  he  could  not  have  a  harvest. 
But  he  is  far  more  concerned  with  what  the  seed 
will  produce.  So  God  is  concerned  with  the  sav- 
ing of  the  soul,  that  is  the  establishing  of  right 
relations  between  Himself  and  the  lost,  but  He 
is  far  more  concerned  with  what  that  life  will  pro- 
duce in  all  the  future  ages  of  its  endless  existence. 
He  would  not  have  gone  to  so  much  trouble  and 
expense  to  save  man  if  He  had  not  wanted  life 
to  develop  into  something  greater  and  larger 
through  all  time  and  eternity. 

In  this  the  world  gives  man  no  help,  unless  it 
has  received  its  lessons  from  the  Gospel.    Books 


78         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

and  papers  are  silent  upon  this  great  subject  un- 
less they  have  learned  their  lessons  from  the  one 
infallible  source.  The  man  who  sins  and  keeps 
on  sinning  is  at  great  odds.  He  has  the  Great 
God  the  forces  of  nature  and  the  order  of  things 
against  him.  But  the  one  who  by  the  act  of  be- 
lief brings  himself  into  union  with  Christ  and  by 
so  continuing  increases  his  security  and  his  power 
for  good,  daily 

"  Overcomes  the  world." 

This  is  the  power  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ  and 
the  power  of  the  Christ  of  the  Gospel, 

"That    lifts   the    fallen,    cheers    the    faint, 
Heals  the  sick  and  leads  the  blind." 

It  is  the  world  power  for  it  enters  India  and 
China  and  Japan  and  every  other  country  and 
saves  and  builds  up  life  wherever  it  may  be  found. 
That  is  a  significant  expression, 

**  Life  saving,"  and  it  is  not  confined  to  any 
place  or  any  country  or  any  nation  or  any  con- 
tinent, but  is  used  wherever  an  effort  is  put  forth 
to  recover  life  from  destruction.  But  the  further 
fact  found  in  this  divine  salvation  revealed  in 
the  Gospel  is  that  the  act  of  saving  is  not  for  the 
moment  and  is  not  to  end  with  the  loosening  of 
the  hold  of  evil  but  that  then  the  great  forces  of 
good  are  to  begin  their  work  of  recovery  and 
growth.  When  the  priest  and  the  Levite  went  by 
the  man  who  had  been  robbed  on  the  highway, 


The  Power  of  The  Gospel  79 

the  robbers  had  gone  and  the  man  needed  no 
further  defense  from  their  dangerous  attacks ;  but 
it  was  the  Good  Samaritan  who  took  the  man  and 
set  him  on  his  own  beast  and  took  care  of  him 
that  the  man  might  come  back  to  useful  hfe.  This 
is  a  picture  of  Christ  in  the  advanced  stages  of 
salvation  where  life  that  is  saved  is  to  have  the 
best  chance  that  a  God  can  give  it. 

The  seaman  by  the  sea  saves  a  man  from 
drowning  not  because  the  man  to  be  saved,  be- 
lieves one  thing  or  another,  but  because  life  is 
precious;  and  we  all  recoil  from  its  destruction, 
because  when  it  is  once  saved  it  is  expected 
to  be  useful  in  its  further  growth.  Thus  God  has 
written  in  human  life  the  lesson  of  His  own  great 
Gospel,  that  life  is  to  be  saved,  that  it  may  grow 
and  increase  in  righteousness  through  all  eternity. 

It  is  in  this  way  that  God  expects  to  have  His 
reward  for  the  great  work  of  salvation.  If  man 
were  never  to  be  more  than  he  is  when  he  is 
converted,  he  would  not  in  any  way  pay  for  the 
trouble.  If  a  child  were  to  remain  forever  in  the 
helpless  pulpy  state  in  which  he  is  born  he  would 
not  be  a  very  welcome  visitor  in  the  family.  As 
the  chief  delight  of  the  parents  is  to  see  the  child 
grow  and  become  large  and  great,  so  the  great 
delight  of  God  is  to  see  the  rapid  and  sure  growth 
of  those  who  are  redeemed  from  the  power  of 
sin. 

Did  you  ever  have  something  suddenly  happen 
you  by  which  you  thought  all  the  power  and 


8o         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

vigour  of  life  would  be  gone,  and  yet  you  would 
live  on,  a  burden  to  yourself  and  a  care  to  others  ? 
Then  you  have  a  vivid  picture  of  what  the  destruc- 
tion of  life  is  by  the  power  of  sin.  Then  did  you 
hear  them  say, 

"  O  he  will  recover  and  be  as  well  as  ever,  for 
the  treatment  has  been  successful  ?  " 

And  this  is  the  illustration  of  the  divine  im- 
pulse of  eternal  hope,  in  the  redeemed  life  and 
the  opening  of  the  way  for  the  large  development 
of  the  immortal  soul.  All  acts  of  life  are  some- 
how related  to  the  future  of  the  soul,  so  that  we 
instinctively  say, 

''  If  I  had  not  been  saved,  if  I  had  not 
had  my  life  so  developed  I  never  could  have 
done  this  or  that,  I  never  could  have  been  so 
happy,  I  never  could  have  gained  these  lasting 
victories." 

There  is  no  life  in  human  form  so  low  that 
God  does  not  love  it  and  try  in  every  possible 
way  to  bring  it  back  to  power,  so  long  as  any  hope 
or  possibility  is  left.  He  cares  for  it  as  the  fire- 
man fans  the  flickering  flame  in  which  is  all  his 
hope  for  a  blazing  fire. 

The  other  day  while  riding  in  a  car  in  our  city 
I  saw  a  sign  which  read, 

''  Second  hand  building  material  for  sale  here.'* 

I  wondered  why  that  should  not  be  written  over 
the  habitation  of  every  human  being.  "  Second 
hand  building  material !  "  What  else  are  we  ? 
What  man  or  woman  has  not  tried  to  work  out 


The  Power  of  The  Gospel  8i 

his  own  life  for  himself  or  herself?     We  wrote 
in  our  copy  books  when  we  were  in  school, 

'*  Man  is  the  architect  of  his  own  fortune." 
^  We  tried  it  and  failed,  at  least  in  the  spiritual 
life.  We  had  the  material,  but  in  building  the 
eternal  habitation  of  the  soul  we  failed.  So  we 
have  wisely  turned  all  over  to  the  Master  Builder 
as  second  hand  material.  Much  of  it  He  has  had 
to  destroy.  But  with  the  rest  He  is  doing  the 
best  that  a  God  can  do.  The  process  has  been 
long  and  somewhat  painful  but  always  successful. 
And  when  the  work  is  well  on  the  way  He  shows 
what  He  has  done  and  says, 

"  Ye  are  the  temple  of  the  Living  God." 
What !  So  changed  as  that  ?  Has  the  purpose 
and  skill  and  workmanship  of  the  Master  Builder 
power  to  so  beautify  and  adorn  and  hallow  and 
sanctify?  It  must  be  so,  for  this  is  the  power 
of  the  Master  and  this  is  the  story  of  the  Gospel 
of  Christ  which  is  the  Power  of  God  unto  the 
continuous  salvation  of  body,  mind  and  soul  to 
every  one  that  believeth.  He  is  the  Builder  and 
yet  we  build  larger  and  better  than  ever.  He  has 
great  honour  and  yet  we  have  greater  honour  than 
ever  before.  He  has  our  lives  and  yet  we  have 
larger  and  better  life  than  we  have  ever  known. 

HI.  The  third  power  of  the  Gospel  is  that 
OF  belief. 

There  has  lately  come  into  the  world  a  gospel 
of  electricity.    What  good  news  to  us  that  we  can 


82         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

talk  with  our  friends  hundreds  of  miles  away, 
and  even  across  the  sea!  What  good  news,  that 
by  electricity  our  work  is  made  easier  and  travel 
a  pleasure !  Yet  no  one  receives  the  benefit  of  this 
great  power  unless  he  uses  it  in  his  own  behalf. 
Men  wonder  why  it  is  that  they  do  not  enjoy  the 
Gospel,  and  they  have  not  stopped  to  think  that 
it  is  because  they  have  not  applied  it  to  their 
lives.  Electricity  is  a  dangerous  force  unless  mas- 
tered, and  yet  men  think  that  a  still  greater  power 
may  be  fooled  with  now  and  then,  and  that  they 
will  receive  from  this  the  lasting  benefits  which 
only  a  thorough  mastery  can  provide.  Electricity 
can  only  when  properly  used  take  away  the  drudg- 
ery of  physical  life,  while  the  power  of  the  Gospel 
in  Christ  will,  when  properly  applied,  take  away 
the  power  of  sin,  whose  effect  otherwise  is  eternal. 

So  the  Gospel  has  proved  its  right  to  be  called 
a  world  force.  For  eighteen  hundred  years  it 
has  held  sway  over  the  hearts  of  men,  and  has 
never  failed  in  one  thing  where  it  had  the  chance 
it  rightfully  claims. 

No  great  power  of  mechanics  or  work  of 
science  has  ever  existed  without  its  gospel  of  au- 
thority. In  mathematics  we  constantly  turn  to 
rules  and  figures.  In  chemistry  we  are  ever  using 
the  formula  and  signs,  and  in  astronomy,  lines 
and  circles.  In  the  higher  life  we  must  constantly 
turn  to  our  authority,  to  find  how  to  work  out  the 
problems  of  authority,  sorrow,  perplexity,  mis- 
fortune and  of  sin.     And  we  are  never  disap- 


The  Power  of  The  Gospel  83 

pointed,   for  the  Gospel  of  Christ  is  the  power 
of  God  to  every  one  who  believes. 

This  is  the  story  of  all  life.  The  ground  opens 
its  treasures  to  the  farmer  who  believes  with 
plow  and  harrow  and  daily  toil,  as  well  as  with 
mind.  The  gold  mine  uncovers  its  riches  to  him 
who  believes  with  pick  and  shovel.  Education 
is  only  for  him  who  believes  in  burning  the  mid- 
night oil  and  in  pouring  over  his  books  in  cease- 
less toil,  by  the  hour  and  month  and  year.  And 
God  asks  no  more  of  religion. 

What  we  want  in  religion  as  well  as  in  every- 
thing else  is  certainty.  Creed  and  confession,  and 
theology  are  all  very  well  in  their  several  spheres ; 
but  when  trial  and  temptation  and  grief  come, 
then  what?  The  most  that  these  can  do  is  to 
steady  us  for  the  time.  It  is  the  business  of 
the  Gospel  to  be  at  that  point  with  its  message 
of  One  who  will  never  fail  in  any  time  of  trouble 
or  need.  This  is  the  way  of  authority.  And  au- 
thority refers  to  an  Author.  So  I  bring  you  the 
Author  of  all  good,  whose  word  never  changes, 
whose  power  never  fails  and  who  holds  us  in  the 
hollow  of  His  hand. 

Do  you  still  ask  that  this  be  proved?  Why, 
you  believe  in  electricity  and  steam,  and  Astron- 
omy and  Chemistry,  and  yet  you  have  never 
proved  these.  You  take  them  on  the  authority  of 
men  who  have  made  mistakes  and  confessed  to  it, 
men  whose  honesty  and  truthfulness  you  have 
never  proved.    Then  why  not  take  the  Power  of 


$4         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

the  Gospel,  which  rests  upon  the  authority  of 
One  who  has  never  made  one  mistake  in  all  time 
and  eternity,  and  whose  life  goes  unchallenged 
through  eighteen  hundred  years? 

There  are  two  ways  of  crossing  the  ocean.  We 
may  take  a  row  boat  and  go  altogether  in  our 
own  way.  This  way  however  is  not  thronged  and 
has  never  been  popular.  The  other  is  by  way  of 
the  great  steamship  which  baffles  the  waves  and 
defies  the  storms.  And  this  is  the  way  that  most 
of  us  favour.  Yet  this  is  the  way  of  authority 
with  which,  in  the  arrangements,  we  have  had 
nothing  to  do.  We  trust  ourselves  entirely  to 
the  plan,  preparation  and  method  of  another. 

There  are  in  human  experience  two  ways 
adopted  by  man  for  crossing  the  sea  of  life.  There 
is  the  method  one  may  choose  for  himself,  that 
of  self  will,  and  of  sin.  If  anyone  has  ever 
crossed  in  this  way  he  has  sent  us  no  word,  and 
many  who  have  stopped  on  the  further  side  of 
the  journey  have  said  it  is  a  failure.  The  other 
method  is  that  of  the  Gospel,  that  of  the  Christ, 
who  never  yet  has  failed,  and  in  whom  no  one 
has  yet  been  lost.  This  is  the  way  of  authority, 
the  way  of  testimony,  for  the  millions  who  have 
tried  it  testify  to  its  safety.  This  is  the  power 
of  the  Christ  written  in  the  blessed  Gospel  which 
brings  joy  to  the  human  heart,  pleasure  to  the 
mind,  ecstasy  to  the  soul,  and  victory  to  the 
redeemed  and  enlarging  eternal  life.  This  is  the 
way  of  authority  which  we  love,  for  "  it  is  the 


The  Power  of  The  Gospel  85 

Power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  everyone  that 
believeth." 


'  We  go  the  way  our  fathers  went, 
The  way  that  leads  from  banishment, 
The  king's  highway  of  holiness." 


VI 


THE  RIGHTS  OF  A  MAN  BEFORE  THE  FACE  OF  THE 
MOST  HIGH 

"  The  Lord  approveth  not  to  turn  aside  the  right  of  a 
man  before  the  face  of  the  Most  High." — Lamentations 
3:  25- 

It  was  in  a  great  court  room  of  London  and 
the  accused  was  led  before  the  bar  of  the  nation. 
We  heard  the  judge  ask, 

"  What  rights  have  you  before  this  tribunal  ?  " 

*'  The  right  of  life  and  justice,"  answered  the 
prisoner. 

Again  the  accused  is  at  the  bar  (and  this  ac- 
cused is  every  human  being)  and  the  Judge  of 
all  the  earth,  seated  upon  His  throne,  asks, 

"  What  rights  do  you  claim  here  ?  " 

"  The  right  of  life,  of  choice,  of  justice,  and 
of  mercy,"  answers  the  other  "  for  Thy  law  says, 
*  Thou  wilt  not  turn  aside  the  right  of  a  man 
before  the  face  of  the  Most  High.'  " 

This  question  then  goes  far  beyond  mere  hu- 
man rights,  which  have  ever  been  the  subject  of 
courts,  and  councils  and  conflicts  on  field  of  battle. 
The  Continental  Congress,  Marathon,  Inkerman, 
Waterloo  and  Gettysburg  were  all  human  courts 
of  appeal;  and  all  history  is  the  account  of  one 
86 


The  Rights  of  a  Man  87 

long  struggle  to  adjust  human  rights.  Yet  these 
questions  have  not  all  been  settled  for  the  door 
of  court  room  is  ever  open  and  the  judge  is  ever 
ready  to  receive  the  suppliant.  And  no  wonder, 
for  God  has  written  no  infallible  Bible  of  mere 
human  rights,  but  has  left  man  to  find  and  apply 
this  truth  for  himself. 

In  this  text  we  are  brought  up  to  the  high  level 
of  the  rights  of  a  man  before  his  Maker.  To 
show  what  these  are  God  has  written  a  Book, 
the  only  one  He  has  thought  worth  while  to  write. 
It  is  the  largest  and  most  complete  of  all  records 
and  one  which  will  never  be  changed  so  long  as 
time  lasts  and  the  human  heart  longs  for  help. 
In  this  book  we  learn  that, 

I.  Life  is  the  first  right  of  a  man  before  the 
FACE  OF  the  Most  High. 

The  man  who  stood  before  the  bar  in  the  Lon- 
don court,  had  a  right  to  live  because  he  was  a 
citizen  of  the  nation  and  had  not  forfeited  his 
right.  He  might  have  been  in  a  foreign  land,  he 
might  have  been  a  cripple,  and  even  imprisoned 
by  an  enemy  in  a  foreign  land,  yet  he  could  claim 
his  right  to  the  protection  of  his  life  even  to  the 
sacrifice  of  the  army  and  navy  of  the  nation. 

Every  man  has  the  right  to  live  because  he  is 
under  the  government  of  God  whose  great  wish 
for  all  is  that  life  shall  prevail.  Man  may  be  de- 
graded and  dissipated,  he  may  deface  and  disfigure 
himself,  he  may  even  be  in  the  enemy's  country 


88         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

beset  by  those  who  would  gladly  destroy  him,  as 
in  the  case  of  the  Prodigal^,  but  so  long  as  he  is 
God's  willing  subject  he  has  a  right  to  claim  life  at 
the  bar  of  the  Judge  of  the  universe.  Man  loses 
his  life  only  when  he  disobeys  God  and  breaks  His 
laws.  God's  wish  is  that  every  man  shall  live 
and  that  he  shall  improve  up  to  the  limit  of  his 
possibility. 

Will  God  allow  the  oak  the  right  of  life  for 
centuries  that  it  may  increase  in  size  and  strength 
through  that  long  period  only  to  die  again;  will 
He  protect  the  giant  of  the  California  forest  for 
ages  that  its  branches  may  reach  the  clouds  and 
its  roots  spread  over  hundreds  of  feet  of  ground 
only  to  perish  soon,  all  this  outlay  for  so  short  a 
time,  and  then  let  man  who  is  to  live  forever,  fade 
away  in  a  few  short  years,  like  some  tender  plant  ? 
No!  no!  a  thousand  times  no!  God  has  made 
every  possible  preparation  for  calling  out  and 
beautifying  every  power  in  man.  The  eye  is 
suited  to  the  light,  the  ear  to  sound,  the  hand  to 
the  mechanical  appliances,  the  mind  to  the  meas- 
ureless possibilities  of  knowledge,  and  the  soul 
to  the  infinite  truth  of  eternal  life. 

By  the  soothing  sunlight  and  the  balmy  air  of 
spring  God  calls  us  away  from  wasting  life.  By 
the  voice  of  the  sounding  sea  does  He  take  us 
from  the  wearing  life  in  the  crowded  city  to 
newer  and  fresher  scenes.  By  the  green  of  the 
hillside  and  the  quiet  of  the  mountain  does  God  in- 
vite us  to  rest.    By  His  spoken  and  written  word. 


The  Rights  of  a  Man  89 

and  by  every  revelation  are  we  assured  of  our 
right  of  life  before  the  face  of  the  Most  High. 

To  prove  its  sacredness,  God  has  set  the  sever- 
est penalties  upon  the  destruction  of  life.  "An 
eye  for  an  eye  and  a  tooth  for  a  tooth,"  is  the  law. 
No  one  shall  destroy  this  gift  of  God  and  escape. 
The  clothing  upon  your  body,  the  fence  around 
your  garden,  the  house  around  your  family,  the 
protection  around  cities  and  nations,  are  only  the 
outer  expression  of  God's  infinite  care  of  that 
which  is  to  Him  most  precious,  that  is  life. 

The  Almighty  provides  all  possible  means,  if 
man  will  only  find  them,  for  frightening  away 
disease  and  for  preserving  life,  that  it  may  be 
crowned. 

Yes,  man  has  the  right  of  life  before  the  face 
of  the  Most  High  because  he  is  made  in  the  image 
of  God.  He  is  thus  greater  than  all  the  destruc- 
tive forces  of  nature,  so  far  as  continuance  in 
being  is  concerned.  His  life  is  too  large  for  him 
to  confine,  define  or  measure.  *'  It  doth  not  yet 
appear  what  we  shall  be."  No  man  can  tell  what 
is  the  meaning  of  the  slightest  movements  of  the 
jelly  fish  that  quivers  in  the  sunlight  when  left 
upon  the  sand  by  the  receding  wave.  How  rnuch 
less  then  can  he  guess  the  issues  of  his  own  im- 
mortal life.  But  God  knows  and  in  order  to  settle 
the  greatest  question  of  all  existence  He  sent  His 
only  Son  that  all  who  believe  in  Him  and  shape 
their  lives  accordingly  might  live  forever  in  the 
glory  of  eternal  righteousness.    It  will  take  end- 


90         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

less  ages  to  fulfill  all  the  promises  of  growth  and 
enlargem'ent  which  are  written  even  in  the  weak- 
est human  nature,  and  how  much  greater  must 
be  all  that  God  has  in  store  for  those  who  love 
Him  and  are  trying  to  obey  His  will. 

Man  then  has  a  right  to  life  before  the  face  of 
the  Almighty  because  of  what  he  may  be  to  the 
Creator.  The  photograph  has  a  right  to  exist 
and  to  have  the  care  of  the  one  it  represents,  be- 
cause it  is  the  likeness  of  him  who  is  to  remain 
beyond  the  day  and  year  and  the  passing  life.  The 
mirror  has  a  right  to  exist  because  it  will  reflect 
at  any  moment  the  one  who  stands  before  it,  thus 
fulfilling  its  mission.  The  child  has  a  right  to 
life  and  care  and  help  in  the  family,  because  he 
is  born  in  that  family  and  has  in  him  somewhere, 
somehow  the  likeness  of  his  parents.  Man  the 
photograph  of  God,  though  very  poor,  the  mirror 
into  which  the  Infinite  One  may  look  and  see, 
though  dimly  the  outline  of  His  own  nature ;  man 
the  child  of  God,  so  like  his  heavenly  Father, 
though  only  as  a  babe  in  the  family  of  God,  looks 
up  and  says, 

"  I  know  that  Thou  wilt  not  turn  aside  the 
right  of  a  man  before  the  face  of  the  Most  High." 

II.  Freedom  of  choice  is  the  second  right  of 
a  man  before  the  face  of  the  most 
High. 
This  has  its  emphasis  in  the  thirty-fourth  verse 

of  this  chapter,  when  it  is  said, 


The  Rights  of  a  Man  91 

"  The  Lord  approveth  not  to  crush  under  His 
feet  the  prisoners  of  the  earth." 

That  is,  man  may  exercise  his  right  of  choice 
even  when  he  is  a  prisoner  at  the  bar.  The  ac- 
cused in  the  court  of  London  had  done  as  he 
pleased.  He  had  either  broken  or  kept  the  law 
of  the  land.  He  could  do  either.  As  man  stands 
before  the  Judgment  bar  of  the  ages,  he  is  digni- 
fied with  the  same  privilege  of  choosing  for  him- 
self what  God  loves  or  what  God  hates. 

There  is  not  a  single  law  relating  to  himself 
which  man  may  not  disobey,  and  there  is  not  a 
law  relating  to  himself  which  man  may  not  by 
the  help  of  God  observe  and  keep.  The  earth  and 
stars  and  suns  and  systems  swing  in  their  orbits 
through  measureless  space  throughout  the  ages, 
never  turning  one  hair's  breadth  from  the  com- 
mand of  God.  They  can  do  no  other.  They  are 
appointed  to  obey  perfectly  the  perfect  will  of 
God.  Hence  there  is  no  jar,  no  disturbance  of 
any  kind  only  the  music  of  the  spheres,  as  when 
the  "  Morning  stars  sang  together  and  all  the 
sons  of  men  rejoiced  together."  But  when  God 
speaks  to  man  and  says, 

"  Thou  shalt,"  man  may  reply, 

"  I  v/ill  "  or  "  I  will  not,"  as  it  may  please  him. 
And  the  "  will  not "  is  what  brings  trouble  and 
disaster  and  death  into  the  world. 

If  a  man  chooses  wrongly  and  goes  on  until 
he  is  confirmed  in  an  evil  state,  he  may  have  his 
way,  and  the  Almighty  can  not  prevent  him  from 


92  The  Message  of  To- Morrow 

his  doom.  God  did  all  He  could  when  He  sent 
His  Son  to  die  that  men  might  live,  and  when  He 
throws  around  the  subject,  every  possible  influ- 
ence for  good.  But  in  spite  of  all  this  man  may 
oppose  his  will  to  God's  and  win;  for  God  will 
not  argue  forever  with  any  man.  "  My  Spirit  will 
not  always  strive  with  man."  "  Ephraim  is  joined 
to  his  idols,  let  him  alone,"  is  yet  sounding  down 
the  ages.  And  when  man  comes  up  for  judgment 
before  the  bar  of  God  he  will  see  the  justice  of 
all  that  God  has  done  for  it  rested  upon  the  free 
choice  of  man,  as  is  shown  in  that  blood  red 
tragedy  of  the  ages  on  Calvary  when  the  thief  on 
the  cross  reproved  his  companion,  saying, 

"  We  suffer  justly,  but  this  man  hath  done 
nothing  worthy  of  death."  They  had  had  their 
way  and  expected  nothing  except  that  which  was 
given  to  them  because  of  their  choice.  Even  the 
Almighty  can  not  save  a  man  if  he  is  not  willing 
to  be  saved,  for  that  would  not  be  salvation.  For 
salvation  does  not  mean  a  mere  change  of  locality 
as  from  earth  to  heaven,  but  rather  a  change  of 
the  inner  condition  of  life  to  conform  to  the  will 
and  life  of  God.  It  is  the  will  that  brings  about 
this  change  as  it  is  the  helm  which  turns  the  great 
ship  away  from  the  rocks  and  toward  the  safe 
haven.  All  who  choose  righteousness  in  Christ 
may  realize  the  blessedness  of  the  choice  which 
is  given  us  because  God  will  not  turn  aside  the 
right  of  choice  before  the  face  of  the  Most  High. 


The  Rights  of  a  Man  93 

III.  The  appeal  to  justice  is  the  third  right 
of  a  man  before  the  face  of  the  most 
High. 

This  is  conceded  in  verse  thirty-six  which  says, 

"  The  Lord  approveth  not  to  subvert  a  man  in 
his  cause."  That  is,  he  may  have  his  case  heard 
in  the  court  and  receive  simple  justice  if  he  will. 
There  are  those  who  say, 

"  I  know  God  is  just,  therefore  He  will  not 
condemn  me."  But  if  you  depend  on  justice  alone 
you  will  never  escape.  The  murderer  who  comes 
before  a  court  of  justice  and  pleads  for  justice 
may  think  thus  to  escape.  But  the  judge  has  ab- 
solute proof  of  his  guilt,  and  therefore  is  com- 
pelled to  pronounce  sentence  of  death  upon  him, 
for  justice  requires  the  full  penalty  of  the  law. 

"  I  did  not  ask  to  have  sentence  pronounced," 
said  the  murderer,  ''  I  only  asked  for  justice." 

"You  are  guilty,"  answers  the  judge  (we  are 
all  guilty  before  God)  ''  and  justice  demands  pun- 
ishment to  the  full  extent." 

So  when  men  who  deny  God's  right  to  their 
best  service  and  have  been  all  their  lives  against 
Him,  cry  out  for  justice  they  only  ask  for  their 
punishment  which  is  their  doom.  Only  in  mercy 
is  there  relief  from  the  severe  penalty  of  the  law. 

There  was  Judge  Shaw  of  Boston,  who  some 
years  ago,  with  trembling  lip  and  tear  stained 
face,  was  compelled  to  pronounce  sentence  upon 
his  friend  Professor  Webster  for  the  murder  of 


94         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

Dr.  Parkman.  Judge  Shaw  could  do  no  other, 
for  Professor  Webster  asked  only  for  justice.  If 
he  had  confessed  his  crime  and  asked  for  mercy 
it  would  no  doubt  have  made  a  vast  difference. 
No  one  has  ever  accused  Judge  Shaw  of  being 
unjust  when  he  pronounced  the  sentence  upon 
his  friend.  So  those  who  hate  God  come  up  be- 
fore Him  to  ask  for  justice  they  will  compel  the 
Almighty  to  pronounce  sentence,  because  they 
have  chosen  that  course.  And  if  ever  God  weeps 
and  if  ever  His  great  nature  is  shaken  with 
paroxysms  of  grief,  it  will  be  when  He  must  pro- 
nounce sentence  of  banishment  upon  those  who 
are  made  in  His  image,  and  who  have  had  every 
advantage  to  lead  a  noble  life  in  a  Christian  land 
and  yet  who  have  chosen  rather  to  be  forever 
away  from  God.  These  are  they  who  cry  only  for 
justice  and  who  have  not  given  God  any  chance  to 
show  mercy. 

In  all  the  ages,  the  justice  of  things  has  not 
gone  beyond  the  prison  and  the  scaffold.  When 
Judge  Shaw  pronounced  sentence  upon  Pro- 
fessor Webster  he  did  not  wipe  out  murder  from 
the  country.  Justice  still  stands  before  every 
such  offender  to  smite  with  iron  hand  as,  long 
ago  it  smote  upon  the  brow  of  Cain  the  first  mur- 
derer. Courts  and  councils  and  armies  have  never 
changed  the  nature  of  things. 

*'  But,"  you  say,  "  justice  means  reward  for 
what  has  been  done." 

"  Certainly,"  says  the  judge,  "  it  means  reward 


The  Rights  of  a  Man  95 

for  the  evil  as  well  as  the  good.  Now  if  you  are 
estranged  from  God,  away  from  His  Church, 
seeking  your  own  good,  what  reward  do  you  ex- 
pect? This  is  good  as  far  as  it  goes,  but  it  does 
not  go  beyond  the  circle  of  your  own  Hfe  and  will 
not  count  on  the  balance  sheet  of  eternity.  For 
these  things  you  have  all  your  reward  here  and 
now.  You  have  not  enlisted  in  the  cause  of  your 
God,  you  have  not  attempted  anything  without 
the  bargain  for  an  immediate  payment,  and  justice 
takes  you  at  your  word. 

**  But  I  expect  some  reward. '* 

''  No,  no,"  answers  justice,  "  if  you  had  done 
anything  for  your  God  you  would  have  done  it 
in  His  way  for  that  is  the  best  and  only  way. 
My  way  is  the  way  of  sentence  and  doom,  and 
not  of  mercy."  So  any  man  may  claim  the  right 
of  appeal  to  justice,  for  God  will  not  turn  aside 
the  right  of  a  man  before  the  face  of  the  Most 
High. 

IV.  The  appeal  to  mercy,  is  the  fourth  right 
of  a  man  before  the  face  of  the  most 
High. 

This  is  the  universal  note  of  harmony  amid  all 
discord,  the  one  sweet  strain  which  is  bringing 
into  unison  all  conflicts  of  earth  that  the  soul 
may  sing  with  joy  the  song  of  God.    Listen, 

**  He  will  have  compassion  according  to  the 
multitude  of  His  tender  mercies."  Mercy  led  God 
to  suffer  in  the  person  of  His  Son  and  thus  to 


g6         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

have  compassion  until  the  subject  understands 
and  accepts.  For  mercy  is  not  merely  help  to  the 
needy,  else  the  lower  order  of  animals  would  be 
the  subjects  of  mercy.  Mercy  is  help  granted  to 
the  needy  who  hunger  for  the  nature  and  love  of 
God. 

Here  are  two  men  in  prison.  They  both  long 
to  be  free.  One  wishes  to  escape  so  as  to  do 
injury  to  those  who  placed  him  there  and  to  com- 
mit other  crimes.  To  free  him  would  not  be  a 
mercy  but  rather  an  injustice  to  the  man  himself 
as  well  as  to  others.  But  the  other  longs  to  be 
free  that  he  may  live  a  noble  life,  and  repair  some 
of  the  wrong  he  has  done,  that  he  may  work  for 
his  own  family  and  yet  reclaim  his  name  from 
disgrace.  To  free  him  is  a  mercy  and  every  man 
who  has  a  shadow  of  this  great  quality  in  his  soul, 
will  say  that  it  is  a  blessed  thing  that  he  can  have 
his  freedom  for  this  great  object  of  life. 

So  when  the  great  desire  to  be  free  from  sin 
has  also  that  longing  to  be  more  like  God  and 
also  to  bring  others  up  to  that  state,  God  looks 
down  in  tenderness  and  will  forgive  anything  in 
man  that  his  great  desire  to  live  a  righteous  life 
may  have  a  chance  to  be  proved  true. 

The  soul  struggles  against  great  odds  to  be  free. 
Most  men  love  righteousness,  and  would  gladly 
follow  it,  but  the  body  with  all  its  downward 
tendencies  is  such  a  poor  servant.  Here  is  a 
great  man  with  a  palsied  hand.  His  mind  ever 
active  cries  out  to  the  hand  to  write  the  great 


The  Rights  of  a  Man  97 

thoughts  which  fill  the  soul.  But  the  hand  is 
helpless  to  act.     The  mind  keeps  calling, 

*'  O  hand,  can  you  not  serve  me?  Can  you  not 
act  for  me  that  I  may  fulfill  my  mission?  "  But 
the  hand  can  not  act.  Then  there  comes  along  a 
great  physician  and  seeing  the  struggle  of  the 
mind  to  do  its  work  through  the  unwilling  hand, 
takes  pity  on  it  and  heals  the  hand.  So  the  soul 
of  man  struggles  against  the  sinful  conditions  and 
in  vain  appeals  to  the  body  and  mind  to  help 
effectually.  Then  God  in  Christ,  the  great  Physi- 
cian, looks  down  in  pity  and  cures  the  sinful 
Hfe,  though  it  has  deserved  only  condemnation; 
and  this  is  mercy. 

A  little  while  ago  we  were  at  war  with  Spain. 
After  one  great  battle  the  whole  Spanish  army  in 
Cuba  and  a  large  part  of  their  navy  was  taken 
prisoners  and  at  once  sent  to  their  homes  across 
the  sea.  Why  were  they  thus  kindly  treated? 
This  was  not  a  custom  of  war.  They  were  our 
enemies.  It  had  cost  much  money  and  many 
lives  to  capture  these  soldiers.  Why  then  were 
they  sent  home  at  the  expense  of  this  nation  ?  It 
was  because  the  great  heart  of  this  nation  could 
not  bear  to  see  them  suffer  away  from  their  coun- 
try and  their  homes.  Their  longings  to  go  home, 
though  not  expressed,  yet  well  known  by  this 
government  was  enough  to  lead  to  the  great  act 
of  mercy.  So  they  were  sent  home  on  condition 
that  they  would  never  again  take  up  arms  against 
this  nation.    And  all  Spain  loved  us  for  it. 


98         The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

Before  God  we  are  all  captives  of  war.  He  is 
watching  with  infinite  solicitude  for  our  willing- 
ness to  be  loyal  and  for  the  promise  that  we  will 
never  again  take  up  arms  against  Him.  Then 
His  great  heart  will  forgive  us  and  send  us  home 
to  our  Father's  house,  and  to  a  great  reward, 
though  we  deserve  it  not. 

This  right  of  man  before  the  face  of  the  Most 
High  is  the  conferred  right  in  Christ  who  by  His 
own  sacrifice  has  opened  God's  heart  of  pity. 

Not  long  ago  Aguinaldo,  the  rebel  chief  of  the 
Philippine  Islands  was  at  large  and  fighting 
against  our  nation.  Long  was  the  search  for  him 
and  many  were  the  soldiers  of  our  army  who 
were  sacrificed  until  he  was  at  last  captured. 
When  taken  to  Manila,  into  the  presence  of  the 
United  States  authorities,  was  he  at  once  be- 
headed as  mere  justice  would  indicate?  By  no 
means.  He  was  then  and  there  given  the  privi- 
lege of  swearing  allegiance  to  the  United  States 
and  received  all  that  might  be  granted  to  a  citi- 
zen of  this  country.  And  this  he  accepted  in 
place  of  banishment  from  his  native  island. 

Wondrous  story  of  mercy  this,  that  the  nation 
should  spend  so  much  money,  and  sacrifice  so 
many  lives  to  catch  the  worst  rebel,  to  bestow 
upon  him  pardon  and  the  richest  blessings.  Yet 
this  is  only  the  story  in  faint  outline  of  God's 
mercy  to  us.  He  has  gone  to  infinite  expense 
and  the  sacrifice  of  His  only  Son  that  we  might 
be  presented  with  the  richest  blessings  of  heaven. 


The  Rights  of  a  Man  99 

He  follows  along  the  way  of  life  nearly  to  the 
end,  through  the  long  and  lonely  years  until  we 
are  captured  far  away.  Then  we  have  His  favour 
and  His  love  though  we  deserve  only  condem- 
nation.   And  this  is  the  story  of  mercy  in  Christ. 

A  man  once  had  a  dream  that  he  was  in  a 
fierce  wild  storm.  Near  by  were  some  houses  to 
which  he  ran  for  shelter.  At  the  door  of  the 
first  stood  a  man  with  a  stern  countenance,  who 
asked  him  who  he  was  and  what  he  would  have, 
and  then  stated  that  that  was  the  house  of  jus- 
tice, and  that  no  traveller  could  expect  comfort, 
but  rather  condemnation  there.  He  ran  to  the 
next  and  was  told  that  it  was  the  house  of  truth, 
and  as  he  had  never  loved  truth  he  could  not 
enter.  At  the  third  he  could  not  be  received  be- 
cause it  was  the  house  of  peace  and  they  did  not 
wish  to  be  disturbed.  But  when  he  came  to  the 
fourth  he  learned  at  once  that  it  was  the  house 
of  mercy,  whose  door  is  ever  open  and  where  One 
in  bright  raiment  with  marks  in  His  hands  ever 
stood  to  receive  all  who  might  flee  there  for 
shelter.  So  he  was  received  without  question, 
without  money  and  without  price. 

The  dream  is  a  picture  of  man  seeking  and 
finding  his  greatest  privilege,  that  of  salvation 
through  mercy  in  Christ,  and  which  we  may  claim 
as  a  conferred  right  before  the  face  of  the  Al- 
mighty, Most  High. 


VII 


THE   SECRET   OF    HAPPINESS,     OR     HOW     TO     KEEP 
YOUNG 

"  Rejoice,  O  young  man,  in  thy  youth ;  and  let  thy 
heart  cheer  thee  in  the  days  of  thy  youth,  and  walk  in 
the  sight  of  thine  eyes ;  but  know  thou  that  for  all 
these  things  God  will  bring  thee  into  judgment." — 
Ecclesiastes  ii:  p. 

"  Rejoice,  O  young  man !  "  How  easy  to  do, 
for  there  is  no  time  so  full  of  joy  and  happiness 
as  youth.  It  is  the  living  force  of  growth  and 
progress  which  carries  onward  the  throbbing  life 
of  the  whole  world.  It  urges  the  apprentice  to 
his  task,  the  business  man  to  his  office,  the  stu- 
dent to  his  books,  and  the  whole  world  to  tireless 
activity.  Youth  always  sees  before  him  the  great, 
the  good,  the  beautiful.  His  face  is  toward  the 
sun  and  his  shadow  is  behind  him.  His  life  is 
like  the  silent  powerful  oak  which  lifts  and  throws 
aside  whatever  may  be  upon  it,  as  it  rises  from 
the  acorn.  The  youth  mounts  upward  and  keeps 
ever  climbing,  always  sure  he  sees  the  top,  and 
is  never  in  fear  of  falling.  His  prospects  out- 
number the  stars,  his  hopes  are  swifter  than  the 
winged  lightning,  and  his  faith  can  remove  moun- 
tains.   If  one-tenth  of  his  dreams  came  true,  there 

100 


The  Secret  of  Happiness  loi 

would  be  poets  everywhere,  heroes  would  march 
along-  our  streets  in  regiments,  and  discoverers 
would  be  as  plentiful  as  the  leaves  on  the  trees, 
wealth  could  be  supplied  in  packages  like  patent 
medicine,  power  would  flow  from  fountains  by 
the  wayside,  and  greatness  would  be  a  drug  on  the 
market.  With  one  hope  realized  in  every  ten, 
with  one  effort  successful  in  every  twenty,  and 
with  only  half  of  his  faith  alive,  youth  rules  the 
world,  with  absolute  sway. 

Longfellow  tells  this  beautiful  story  in  the  fol- 
lowing lines, 

"  How  beautiful  is  youth !    how  bright  it  gleams 
With  its  illusions,  aspirations,  dreams! 
Book  of  beginnings,  Story  without  end. 
Each  maid  a  heroine,  and  each  man  a  friend ! 
Aladdin's  Lamp,  and  Fortunatus'  Purse, 
That  hold  the  treasures  of  the  universe! 
All  possibilities  are  in  its  hands, 
No  danger  daunts  it  and  no  foe  withstands; 
In  the  sublime  audacity  of  faith, 
'  Be  thou  removed,'  it  to  the  mountain  saith, 
And  with  ambitious  feet  secure  and  proud, 
Ascends  the  ladder  leaning  on  the  cloud." 

That  this  desire  for  youthful  happiness  is  im- 
mortal is  proved  by  the  universal  effort  of  man  to 
keep  young;  by  man's  ceaseless  effort  in  all  the 
ages,  to  find  the  fountain  of  perpetual  youth ;  and 
by  this  command  of  God  that  we  should  make  the 
rejoicing  in  righteousness  strength,  a  life  busi- 
ness. 


I02       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

1.  Making  the  most  of  developing  life^  is 
the  first  secret  of  happiness. 

"  Rejoice  O  young  man  in  thy  youth."  This 
is  God's  benediction  on  growing  life.  It  pleases 
God  to  see  life  increasing  in  greatness  and  holi- 
ness. He  is  the  last  being  to  suppress  life,  as 
He  is  the  only  one  to  create  it.  He  protects  the 
humblest  flower  by  the  wayside  hidden  in  the 
grass,  from  the  biting  frost.  He  stays  the  force 
of  the  storm  which  fain  would  lay  the  forest 
low.  He  holds  back  the  hand  of  decay  from  the 
dying  grain  of  wheat  that  it  may  spring  forth 
with  new  life  in  the  harvest  of  summer.  He  drives 
back  cruel  fate  from  the  door  of  the  drunkard, 
and  from  the  hut  of  the  poor,  and  from  the  closely 
guarded  cell  of  the  criminal  that  life  may  live  on 
and  have  a  chance  to  become  supreme. 

Yes  He  does  more  than  that.  He  sends  the 
bursting  life  of  spring  into  every  leaf  and  flower 
and  twig  and  tree  to  cry  out  with  joy  for  Him. 
He  sends  the  birds  with  sweeter  songs  than  Men- 
delssohn ever  knew,  to  sing  His  chorus  every- 
where. He  opens  the  day  with  His  banner  of 
beauty  in  the  clouds  and  flings  its  colours  again 
across  the  sky  at  sundown,  and  everywhere  it  is 
rejoice,  rejoice — all  things  rejoice. 

"  Let  all  that  hath  breath  praise  the  Lord." 

In  human  life  God's  provision  for  happiness  is 
more  complete.  Man's  powers  and  capabilities 
outnumber  all  those  of  all  other  created  things. 

His  intellect  sweeps  the  heavens  and  the  earth, 


The  Secret  of  Happiness  103 

far  and  wide,  his  sensibilities  feel  the  throb  of 
all  life,  low  and  high,  and  his  will  rules  all 
things  with  a  relentless  sway ;  and  God  says, 

"  Use  all  things  wisely  and  well  and  rejoice 
O  young  man,  in  thy  strength,"  which  does  not 
mean  the  young  in  years  so  much  as  the  one  full 
of  moving,  pulsating,  powerful  life. 

It  is  life  that  pushes  and  goes  and  loves  and 
sings  and  wins.  Life — strong  life — is  always  re- 
joicing. Only  death — the  absence  of  life — brings 
sorrow.  Every  man  therefore  who  fills  himself 
full  of  life — God's  life — will  rejoice;  must 
rejoice. 

Does  God  then  want  a  man  to  stop  his  work, 
to  fill  his  lungs  full  of  air  in  the  morning  and 
cry  only — Halleluiah  !  " 

O,  No.  When  God  says  "  rejoice  O  young  man 
in  thy  youth,"  He  means  that  we  are  to  make  the 
most  of  every  power.  We  are  to  work  as  hard 
as  we  can,  to  fill  the  world  full  of  righteousness. 
God  is  the  happiest  being  in  the  universe,  first 
because  He  is  perfect;  second  because  He  does 
most  for  those  in  need.  But  in  order  to  be  happy 
God  does  not  sit  in  the  heavens  and  laugh  and 
laugh  as  though  He  would  shake  the  sky  from  its 
fastenings.  But  His  nature  rises  in  greatness  and 
goodness  and  kindness  and  mercy,  and  these  are 
the  expressions  of  His  joy.  In  imitation  of  Him 
we  rise  from  the  thought  that  life  is  to  be  one 
long  holiday,  and  rejoice  in  our  intellectual  pow- 
ers, in  our  opportunities  for  improvement  and  ad- 


I04       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

vancement,  and  in  our  highest  possibiHties  before 
God. 

11.  Heart  cheer^  is  the  second  secret  of  hap- 
piness. 

"  Let  thy  heart  cheer  thee,"  not  thy  neighbours 
or  friends.  It  is  well  to  know  that  the  source  of 
human  happiness  is  the  individual  heart.  Condi- 
tions of  climate  and  weather  are  not  half  so  im- 
portant as  the  condition  of  the  inner  life.  The 
good  cheer  of  the  heart  is  infinitely  better  than 
the  sunshine  or  balmy  air  of  spring. 

Lately  some  strange  experiments  have  been 
made  in  this  country  at  a  school  for  the  study  of 
the  mind.  A  man  in  pleasant  mood  breathed  into 
a  glass  tube  prepared  for  the  purpose  and  packed 
in  ice,  and  then  the  iodide  of  rhodopsin  was  used 
to  precipitate  any  deposit,  but  there  was  no  re- 
sult. Then  a  man  when  very  angry  was  made  to 
breathe  into  the  same  tube  and  the  same  test  was 
applied,  and  the  result  was  a  brown  precipitate. 
Then  a  man  in  deep  sorrow  was  subjected  to  the 
same  test  and  the  result  was  gray;  then  one  in 
remorse  and  the  result  was  pink.  In  each  special 
case  the  heart  sent  out  some  kind  of  a  reporter 
to  tell  the  story  of  this  life.  This  is  being  done 
in  a  thousand  other  ways  every  day.  Somehow 
man's  inner  condition  has  great  effect  on  his 
happiness  or  misery.  You  go  to  a  physician  for 
a  physical  examination.  After  it  is  all  over  the 
physician  says. 


The  Secret  of  Happiness  loc 

"  Your  heart  has  a  double  leak  and  a  flutter." 
At  once  you  are  affected  and  for  days  and  weeks 
you  seem  to  be  carrying  around  a  great  and  op- 
pressive load.  You  are  sicker  now  than  you  were, 
because  you  know  that  life  is  in  danger. 

When  we  have  an  examination  of  our  whole 
nature  and  find  defects  we  are  sadly  depressed. 
But  where  we  find  excellencies,  great  and  marvel- 
lous, possibilities  of  achievements  surpassing  our 
highest  hopes,  then  we  are  happy,  and  the  heart 
cheers  us,  and  we  rejoice  in  our  strength. 

Life  is  like  the  old  feudal  castle  and  its  people. 
It  is  guarded  carefully  to  see  that  only  friends 
come  and  go.  The  happiness  is  from  within, 
the  inner  life  cheers  the  inmates.  No  traitor  is 
there  but  all  are  in  full  sympathy.  All  may  well 
say: 

""  Let  our  home  life  cheer  us  for  there  shall  be 
no  such  traitor  as  anger  to  go  out  to  spread  an 
evil  report,  but  he  shall  be  kept  in  chains."  There 
shall  be  no  resentment  or  revenge  escaping  to 
tell  its  "  rhodopsin  "  story  of  conflict  within.  But 
there  shall  go  out  and  come  in  only  those  who 
shall  bring  good  cheer. 

How  essential  then  that  the  heart  should  be 
right  with  God,  controlled  by  divine  impulse  and 
filled  with  divine  wisdom,  as  the  source  of  the 
fountain  should  be  pure.  Though  the  face  may 
smile  at  times,  that  will  not  change  the  conditions 
of  life  any  more  than  a  new  coat  will  make  a 
beggar  a  rich  man.     It  is  rather  the  heart  that 


io6       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

controls  the  face  and  features  and  hands,  and 
whole  man. 

"  Keep  thy  heart  with  all  diligence  for  out  of 
it  are  the  issues  of  life." 

God  is  the  only  one  who  can  satisfy  every  con- 
dition of  life.  This  means  to  obey  God,  to  bow 
to  His  will,  to  have  life  in  harmony  with  His, 
for  the  heart,  which  in  this  case  is  the  sum  total 
of  a  man's  power,  is  the  engine  of  life  to  run  the 
man  to  ruin  or  to  safety.  It  is  like  the  fires 
in  the  furnaces  of  the  ocean  steamship.  If  they 
burn  within  their  limits,  controlled  and  used,  they 
are  the  source  of  strength  which  baffles  and  de- 
fies every  wind  and  every  storm,  and  the  passen- 
gers are  cheered.  But  let  the  fires  once  break 
out  and  burn  the  ship,  then  sorrow  and  disaster 
and  death  will  follow.  Keep  thy  heart  with  all 
diligence  and  let  it  cheer  thee  on  thy  journey, 
defying  trouble  and  sorrow  and  even  death.  Yes 
the  heart  should  be  right  with  God  and  then  it 
will  always  supply  your  nature  with  good  cheer. 

Many  there  are  who  think  that  the  source  of 
happiness  is  from  without — that  all  things  must 
flow  to  themselves  before  they  can  be  happy. 
Did  you  ever  know  a  spring  in  the  mountain  to 
be  fresh  and  sparkling  when  all  streams  and  riv- 
ulets pure  and  impure  flowed  into  it?  Could  a 
spring  in  that  way  fulfill  its  mission?  Did  you 
ever  know  any  person  to  become  happy  and  good 
by  grasping  all  within  his  reach,  and  by  getting 
all  he  wanted,  giving  nothing  to  others  ?    No,  no, 


The  Secret  of  Happiness  107 

the  secret  of  purity  and  happiness  of  Hfe  is  in  its 
flow,  like  the  spring  sending  forth  its  stream, 
sparkHng,  dancing,  laughing,  liquid  clear,  because 
it  was  purified  in  the  heart  of  the  mountain. 

"  Let  thy  heart  with  its  liquid  flow,  cheer  thee, 
O  mountain,"  says  God,  "  and  then  thy  verdure 
shall  break  forth  into  new  life."  So  the  fountain 
of  perpetual  youth  is  in  the  heart,  though  its 
source  is  in  God.  Its  flow  is  that  of  goodness 
and  righteousness  and  honesty  and  Godlikeness. 
**  Let  thy  heart  cheer  thee,"  for  therein  lies  the 
secret  of  happiness. 

IIL    To   WALK  IN  THE  LIGHT  OF  THINE  EYES,  IS 
THE   THIRD  GREAT   SECRET   OF   HAPPINESS. 

Learning  to  walk !  Yes  but  you  have  forgotten 
how  that  went;  how  you  misjudged  distance,  and 
reaching  for  a  chair  you  came  short  of  it  and  fell 
with  painful  result.  Your  mother  came  to  your 
rescue,  and  as  she  gathered  you  up  said, 

"  Look  my  child  where  you  are  going.  Use 
your  eyes."  "  Walk  in  the  light  of  thine  eyes." 
When  we  stumble  and  fall  it  is  chiefly  because 
we  do  not  walk  in  the  light  of  our  eyes.  God 
has  given  to  everyone  light  enough  in  the  outer 
world,  so  that  no  one  need  stumble.  The  civil 
law  makes  but  little  allowance  for  the  man  who 
has  lived  all  his  life  in  this  country  and  then 
breaks  the  best  known  and  simplest  laws.  The 
court  answers  to  such  a  plea, 

"  It  is  your  business  to  know."     So  God  has 


io8       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

given  to  every  man  knowledge  enough  for  an 
upright  life,  and  no  man  need  ever  go  blundering 
along  in  the  moral  world.  God's  Word  is  to  en- 
lighten him,  the  promises  are  for  every  condition, 
the  rewards  for  every  good  deed,  the  crown  for 
every  conquest.  The  Church  is  God's  divinely 
appointed  means  to  enlighten  those  who  do  not 
see.  It  is  a  lighthouse  to  the  seaman,  a  star  of 
hope  to  the  mariner,  a  beacon  light  to  every  trav- 
eller. Follow  this  light,  "  keep  thine  eyes  straight 
before  thee,"  "  walk  in  the  light  of  thine  eyes  " 
and  you  will  find  the  great  secret  of  the  happi- 
ness of  youth. 

But  we  should  also  keep  ourselves  before  our 
eyes.  Those  we  like  least  to  look  upon,  are  our- 
selves. Of  course  the  mirror  is  attractive  to  some, 
but  only  so  long  as  it  reflects  youth  and  beauty. 
In  ancient  Rome  a  fair  lady  who  loved  her  mirror, 
thought  one  day  that  it  revealed  the  signs  of  age. 
At  once  she  smashed  it  into  a  thousand  pieces. 
She  could  not  look  upon  herself  in  the  light  of 
her  eyes.  This  act  of  the  noble  lady  was  con- 
sidered a  license  by  others  for  the  same  act  and 
the  truthful  mirrors  fast  disappeared.  Then  in 
order  to  save  the  poor  victims  it  was  reported  that 
to  break  a  mirror  is  bad  luck.  So  now  they  re- 
ceive sharp  looks  instead  of  sharp  blows. 

But  the  look  that  is  here  intended,  is  deeper 
and  keener  than  any  that  enters  a  mirror.  It  is 
an  X  ray  photograph  one  that  looks  through  and 
through,  and  sees  all. 


The  Secret  of  Happiness  109 

It  is  called  X  ray  because  X  is  always,  in 
mathematics,  taken  to  represent  the  unknown 
quantity,  something  the  eye  can  not  see.  When 
you  go  to  a  photographer  to  have  your  picture 
taken  you  know  about  what  the  picture  should 
be.  But  who  knows  what  the  X  ray  will  reveal. 
Walk  in  the  light  of  thine  eyes  which  look 
through  and  through  and  criticise  and  correct. 
If  we  were  severe  critics  of  ourselves  we  would 
be  less  severely  judged  by  others. 

"  Know  thyself,"  cried  the  philosophers.  ''  Walk 
in  the  light  of  thine  eyes,"  says  God.  When  you 
go  up  and  down  the  street  watch  yourself.  When 
dishonesty  sits  by  you  to  plan  a  dark  deed  watch 
yourself.  When  temptation  walks  by  your  side, 
taking  your  arm  to  lead  you  to  do  the  wrong  act, 
keep  your  eyes  on  yourself  and  see  how  you  look ; 
then  get  your  hand  on  yourself  and  by  all  the 
power  you  have,  bring  yourself  back  again. 

Walk  in  the  light  of  thine  eyes,  then  you  will 
be  fit  to  walk  in  the  light  of  God. 

IV.  Judgment  is  the  fourth  secret  of  happi- 
ness. 

What  has  judgment  to  do  with  happiness— 
everything.  To  be  under  crime  is  worse  than  to 
be  under  sentence;  hence  judgment  becomes  a 
mercy.  The  penitent  before  God  is  always  ac- 
quitted, hence  his  happiness.  Now  each  act  is 
judged  singly,  and  if  a  man  is  trying  to  do  right 
and  sins,  God  is  more  lenient.     He  who  plans 


no       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

to  do  wrong  and  does  it  will  be  treated  one  way. 
He  who  plans  to  do  right  and  does  it  will  be 
treated  in  quite  another  way. 

Some  leave  all  accounts  to  be  settled  at  last 
for  a  final  summing  up.  Others  settle  their  ac- 
counts as  they  go  along,  by  watching  their  lives, 
by  asking  forgiveness  and  finding  it  granted.  In 
this  case  the  final  judgment  will  be  the  summing 
up  of  the  good  that  has  been  brought  along  with 
life. 

How  have  we  used  this  Hfe  of  His,  loaned  to  us 
for  our  profit  and  enjoyment? 

Have  you  walked  in  the  light  of  your  eyes,  or 
have  you  been  cross-eyed  to  the  truth  seeing 
double  and  not  willing  to  accept  either?  Have 
the  eyes  been  closed?  Has  the  heart,  the  right- 
eous life  been  made  the  source  of  your  rejoicing 
or  has  the  heart  poured  forth  a  turbid  stream  to 
darken  the  world? 

"  Into  judgment,"  that  our  standing  may  be 
established  forever,  and  especially  how  much  we 
are  to  Him.  Has  the  fire  of  the  heart  consumed 
the  life  or  has  it  warmed  the  whole  nature,  cheered 
the  life  and  brought  the  soul  up  to  God? 

"  For  all  of  these  things  God  will  bring  thee 
into  judgment,"  and  may  the  divine  word  be  to 
thee, 

"  Well  done  thou  good  and  faithful  servant, 
enter  thou  into  the  joy  of  thy  Lord."  This  is 
the  divine  way  to  come  into  the  happy,  the  age- 
less life. 


VIII 

THE  POWER  OF  AN  ENDLESS  LIFE 

"  Christ  .  .  .  who  was  not  made  after  the  law  of 
a  carnal  commandment,  but  after  the  power  of  an  end- 
less life. — Hebrews  7: 16 

If  you  stand  upon  the  Eiffel  tower  in  Paris, 
one  thousand  feet  above  the  ground,  and  look 
out  over  the  city  and  country,  you  will  observe 
that  all  streets  and  roads  and  marks  of  property 
ownership  have  disappeared,  while  fields,  forests 
and  gardens  are  blended  into  one  continuous  land- 
scape. You  are  too  high  to  be  bound  by  the  con- 
ditions of  life  upon  the  surface  of  the  earth. 

So  in  this  text  we  are  lifted  high  into  the  at- 
mosphere of  eternity,  where  time  and  earthly 
conditions  disappear,  and  where  there  is  one  great 
broad  sweep  of  eternal  things. 

The  Bible  itself  has  no  chronology  of  dates; 
that  has  been  supplied  in  the  margin  by  man  for 
his  own  convenience.  The  chronology  of  the 
Bible  is  that  of  events,  which  sweeps  along  with- 
out waiting  to  plant  milestones  or  set  up  land 
marks  as  though  expecting  to  return  again.  And 
this  chapter  has  reached  the  highest  point  of  all, 
for  it  brings  forth  Melchisedec,  who  defies  time 
III 


112       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

and  breaks  all  dates  into  fragments;  for  it  is  said 
that  he  was  without  father  or  mother  or  uncles  or 
aunts, — that  is  he  had  no  recorded  history  of  his 
descent, — hence  he  was  "  without  beginning  of 
days  or  end  of  time."  By  this  it  is  not  meant 
that  he  was  not  born  and  did  not  die,  as  is  the 
case  with  others ;  but  it  did  mean  that  the  record 
of  his  life  was  not  kept  as  usual  in  those  days 
among  the  Jews,  and  that  the  loss  of  his  earthly 
history  was  of  small  consequence  in  the  presence 
of  the  eternal  life  of  the  soul  whose  record  was 
not  lost. 

Still  higher  are  we  carried  in  this  story  to  the 
One  whom  Melchisedec  typifies,  that  is,  the  Christ 
who  is  both  sacrifice  and  example  and  so  stands 
at  the  highest  point  of  all  life,  for  He  was  not 
made  after  the  law  of  a  carnal  commandment, 
but  after  the  power  of  an  endless  life. 

Here  then  is  the  great  contrast  between  tem- 
poral and  eternal  life,  between  temporal  and  eter- 
nal power.  The  body  lives  thirty,  forty,  seventy 
years ;  but  who  can  tell  the  life  of  the  soul  ?  Set 
a  bound  to  eternity,  then  you  can  tell  of  eternal 
life.  But  eternity, — who  can  measure  it?  It  is 
a  boundless  ocean  upon  which  time  floats  for  a 
little  like  a  bubble,  then  bursts,  and  is  gone. 

It  is  said  that  if  you  could  connect  all  the  or- 
bits of  all  the  stars  and  suns  and  systems,  into 
one  measureless  path,  then  if  you  could  combine 
all  the  planets  and  stars  and  suns  and  systems 
into  one  great  globe,  that  the  swing  of  this  great 


The  Power  of  an  Endless  Life     113 

body  in  its  measureless  orbit  would  be  only  as  the 
swing  of  the  pendulum  in  the  life  of  the  soul. 

It  is  said  that  if  a  bird  of  long  life  were  to 
come  from  beyond  the  confines  of  this  earth  and 
take  just  one  grain  of  dust,  then  fly  away  and 
wait  a  million  years,  then  come  for  one  more 
grain  of  dust  and  fly  away  with  that,  then  wait 
another  million  years,  then  come  for  another  grain 
of  dust,  and  so  coming  for  just  one  grain  once  in 
every  million  years  till  all  the  earth  and  all  the 
planets  and  all  the  stars  and  all  the  systems  are 
removed,  that  then  the  soul  would  just  be  in  its 
infancy  and  eternity  would  just  be  begun. 

"Eternity  where?    It  floats  on  the  air, 
Mid  clamour  and  silence  it  always  is  there, 
That  question  so  solemn 
Eternity  where  ?  " 

Now  this  is  represented  in  the  life  of  Christ 
as  a  power,  for  He  was  not  made  after  the  law  of 
a  carnal  commandment,  but  after  the  power  of  an 
endless  life.  That  is,  Christ's  life  was  measured 
with  eternity  and  was  found  to  be  greater  than 
eternity.  This  then  is  to  be  the  measure  of  man's 
existence — the  power  of  an  endless  life. 

Now,  power  is  the  commonest  thing  in  the 
world.  You  find  it  in  earth,  air,  sea  and  sky, 
and  in  the  heart  and  hand  of  man.  Mr.  Tyndall 
once  said,  that  if  all  the  power  of  chemical  affin- 
ity held  in  a  single  drop  of  water  could  be  properly 
utilized,  that  it  would  run  a  train  of  cars  as  far 


114       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

as  from  Edinburg  to  London,  a  distance  of  about 
four  hundred  miles.  One  of  the  greatest  preach- 
ers of  this  age,  said  some  time  ago,  that  if  all 
the  power  of  every  Christian  could  be  utilized, 
the  world  would  be  brought  to  Christ  in  a  single 
day.  If  this  be  true,  what  a  great  waste  of  power 
and  strength  there  has  been  in  all  the  ages,  for 
the  Gospel  of  Christ  seems  in  many  ways  to  have 
little  more  than  a  start.  It  is  in  developing  hu- 
man agency  that  the  power  of  an  endless  life  is 
to  be  shown. 

The  reason  why  steam  so  long  slumbered  in 
the  water,  is  that  man's  power  was  not  large 
enough  to  bring  it  out. 

The  reason  the  world  was  so  long  silent  and 
unneighbourly  is  that  man  did  not  for  ages  grasp 
the  power  of  electricity,  to  make  it  carry  his  mes- 
sage. 

Now,  if  man  finds  it  so  hard  to  deal  with  these 
questions  of  everyday  life,  how  can  he  expect  to 
grapple  with  the  great  questions  of  eternity?  To 
answer  this  great  need  of  man,  who  is  made  after 
the  law  of  a  carnal  commandment,  there  has  come 
the  Christ  of  God,  who  was  made  after  the  power 
of  an  endless  life.  He  is  not  only  a  fulfillment 
but  also  a  revelation,  hence, 

I.  The  power  of  an  endless  life,  reveals  life. 

Here  is  a  person,  the  Christ,  who  outmeasures 

all  questions  of  time  and  eternity,  and  our  lives 

are  to  take  on  a  suitable  measure  of  that  power. 


The  Power  of  an  Endless  Life     115 

It  is  a  most  gracious  revelation  in  the  midst  of 
Hfe's  mysterious  existence;  for  we  came  into 
the  world  in  the  mystery  of  life,  we  walk  in  the 
mystery  of  being,  we  go  out  in  the  mystery  of 
death.  We  put  our  feet  in  the  tracks  of  old 
Nicodemus  and  push  along,  if  need  be  in  the 
night,  that  we  may  come  to  Him  who  knows 
all  the  mysteries  of  eternity,  and  ask, 

"  How  can  these  things  be  ?  "  And  we  never 
go  away  disappointed,  if  we  hear  Him  through, 
for  He  has  the  revelation  of  the  endless  life. 

Like  the  centurion  we  disregard  our  standing 
and  endanger  our  position  by  which  we  gain  our 
living — and  position  has  ever  been  considered  of 
prime  importance, — that  we  may  help  the  needy. 
This  is  a  new  phase  of  human  action  and  has  its 
issue  far  beyond  this  mortal  life. 

It  was  a  new  revelation  in  the  life  of  Paul  that 
led  him  to  throw  away  earth's  brightest  prospects, 
for  something  that  seemed  to  all  men  shadowy 
and  uncertain,  and  which  led  away  from  the  great 
Sanhedrim  and  the  pinnacle  of  fame,  to  suffer- 
ing and  death.  The  reason  is  that  he  had  had  a 
view  of  this  larger  and  fuller  life,  and  counted 
it  better  than  all  earth's  treasures.  The  reason 
why  we  are  discouraged  is  because  we  see  life 
only  in  sections,  and  most  of  us  are  near  sighted 
at  that.  But  when  we  can  see  life  in  relation  to 
eternity,  how  different!  If  we  who  are  Chris- 
tians could  see  the  whole  plan  of  our  lives  with 
the  glorious  ending,  we  would  never  have  a  mo- 


ii6       The  Message  of  To- Morrow 

ment  of  doubt  or  discouragement.  If  the  soldiers 
of  Washington's  army  had  seen  the  result  of  the 
War  of  Revolution  from  the  beginning, — if  they 
could  have  looked  down  one  hundred  years  and 
could  have  seen  the  glories  of  war  and  of  peace 
of  our  own  day,  then  Bunker  Hill  and  Valley 
Forge  and  Yorktown  would  not  have  filled  their 
hearts  with  solicitude.  Why  could  Isaiah  go  on 
with  so  much  assurance?  Open  his  own  word, 
uncover  with  him  the  future  and  you  will  see 
that  he  had  linked  his  life  with  Him  who  was 
not  made  after  the  law  of  a  carnal  commandment, 
but  after  the  power  of  an  endless  life.  You 
never  would  have  heard  of  Isaiah,  and  of  Daniel, 
and  of  ten  thousand  others  but  for  this.  You  will 
never  cease  to  hear  of  them  because  of  the  power 
of  the  endless  life. 

We  were  about  twenty-five  minutes  in  the  St. 
Gothard's  tunnel  in  the  Alps.  During  that  time 
no  ray  of  light  came  from  the  sun  though  he  was 
shining  in  all  his  strength.  It  is  one  of  the  long- 
est and  darkest  tunnels  in  the  world,  yet  by  the 
lights  in  the  train  we  saw  some  of  the  brightest 
faces  and  heard  some  of  the  j oiliest  laughs  that 
were  ever  seen  or  heard.  This  was  not  because 
of  the  darkness  of  the  tunnel,  but  because  of  the 
bright  sun  that  we  knew  was  shining  on  the  outer 
world,  and  because  the  most  beautiful  flowers 
and  the  most  delightful  perfumes  would  soon 
greet  us,  and  the  coolest  zephyrs  would  blow 
and  the  highest  mountains  would  lift  their  heads 


The  Power  of  an  Endless  Life      117 

far  toward  the  sky  as  though  to  say,  "  We  must 
be  near  our  God."  It  was  a  revelation  to  me 
of  the  way  the  darkness  of  this  earth  may  be  made 
light  by  the  power  of  an  endless  life. 

That  which  widened  the  circle  of  Paul's  life 
beyond  Palestine  threw  it  out  also  beyond  the 
horizon  of  man's  vision  and  gave  him  sights  which 
were  unutterable  and  full  of  glory. 

That  which  makes  you  open  your  account  book 
for  to-morrow,  also  commands  you  to  open  your 
Bible  for  the  future;  the  one  that  you  may  see 
how  your  accounts  stand  for  this  world,  the  other 
that  you  may  see  how  they  stand  for  eternity. 
Man  lives  mostly  in  the  future;  the  beast  lives 
altogether  in  the  present.  You  do  not  tell  your 
horse  or  your  dog  or  your  canary  bird  anything 
about  to-morrow  or  next  week  or  next  year,  be- 
cause they  can  not  understand.  But  God  talks 
to  us  mostly  about  the  future.  If  you  take  the 
future  tenses  out  of  the  Bible  it  will  be  no  longer 
the  word  of  God  for  you  will  have  taken  the  best 
part  of  it  away ;  for  the  Bible  would  have  you  to 
live  largely  in  the  presence  of  prophecy  and 
promise  and  hope.  It  is  the  power  of  an  endless 
life  coming  out  and  taking  hold  of  us  as  with 
invisible  hands  and  drawing  us  into  larger  life 
with  God. 

There  is  somewhere  a  story  which  tells  how 
the  knowledge  of  eternal  life  began  to  dawn  upon 
the  earth,  and  how  the  power  of  the  future  first 
took  hold  of  man.     A  great  colony  of  the  de- 


ii8       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

scendants  of  Cain,  the  first  murderer,  had  gathered 
in  their  happy  Hfe,  for  the  knowledge  of  death 
had  not  yet  come  to  them.  Cain  knew  well  what 
death  was,  but  he  kept  the  burning  secret  to  him- 
self. One  day  a  hurled  stone  struck  down  a 
son  of  Lamech.  They  thought  he  was  asleep,  so 
they  brought  to  him  his  childish  toys  to  wake  him 
from  his  slumber.  But  no  stillness  like  that  had 
ever  come  to  any  one  of  them.  As  they  stood 
in  wonder,  Cain  came  forward  and  whispered, 

''  He  is  dead,"  and  told  the  awestruck  family 
of  death  and  future  life. 

A  new  feeling  from  that  moment  came  over 
the  house  of  Cain.  All  things  assumed  new  mean- 
ing. Even  the  sunshine  had  a  different  look  to 
them. 

"  It  seemed  that  light  was  never  loved  before, 
Now  each  man  said,  '  'Twill  go  and  come  no  more  * ; 
No  budding  branch,  no  pebble  from  the  brook, 
No  form,  no  shadow,  but  new  meaning  took, 
From  the  one  thought  that  life  will  have  an  end." 

How  beautiful !  Yet  how  much  more  beauti- 
ful the  Christ  who  was  made  after  the  power  of 
eternal  life,  and  through  whom  we  never  die. 

"  I  will  show  you  all  the  glory  of  Greece,"  said 
an  ancient  to  his  friend.  Then  he  took  him  to 
Solon  the  Spartan  lawgiver. 

"  Is  this  all?  "  asked  the  other. 

"  Yes,  this  is  all,  for  when  you  have  seen  Solon 
you  have  seen  all  the  glory  of  Greece." 


The  Power  of  an  Endless  Life      119 

So  I  will  show  you  all  the  glory  of  your  im- 
mortality by  pointing  you  to  Him  who  was  not 
born  according  to  the  law  of  a  carnal  command- 
ment but  after  the  power  of  an  endless  life. 

"  Thou  O  Christ  art  all  I  want, 
More  than  all  in  Thee  I  find." 

II.  The  power  of  an  endless  life  explains 

LIFE. 

It  was  long  a  mystery  how  suffering  could  help 
suffering  and  how  sorrow  could  be  borne  away 
by  one  in  sorrow,  and  how  the  crucified  Nazarene 
could  inspire  a  despondent  world  with  hope  and 

joy- 
There  are  men  foolish  enough  to  laugh  at  this, 
and  to  say  that  it  can  not  be  done.  They  may 
be  laughing  now,  though  we  can  not  hear  them, 
for  small  sounds  do  not  easily  disturb  the  air  of 
this  sacred  place.  And  if  we  should  hear  them  we 
would  not  need  to  fear  until  their  laugh  shakes 
the  earth  more  than  did  the  events  of  that  tragic 
day  on  Calvary. 

How  can  they  explain  that  this  little  Book,  the 
Bible,  which  a  child  may  easily  carry  in  his  hand, 
can  be  the  basis  of  all  lasting  learning  and  litera- 
ture; how  it  will  lead  men  out  of  suffering  and 
sin  and  will  set  a  going  powers  that  will  never 
die,  and  which  will  sweep  across  the  world  with 
mightier  force  than  storm  of  wind  and  hail. 

Now  we  understand  that  it  is  life,  and  not 
years  that  makes  the  difference.     An  old  negro 


I20       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

sixty-three  years  of  age  in  Baltimore  took  his 
boy,  ten  years  of  age,  to  school.  After  the  son 
had  been  received,  he  asked, 

"  How  old  must  one  be  to  enter  school?  "  They 
replied  that  they  would  take  them  at  any  age. 
Then  he  said  he  would  enter  too.  There  was 
something  in  that  man  greater  than  the  mere 
cycles  of  time,  and  more  eternal  than  the  dates  on 
the  calendar.  Yes  it  is  the  power  of  an  endless 
hfe  that  scorns  the  marking  of  years  and  laughs 
at  the  wrinkles  of  time.  The  youth  of  sixty  out- 
runs and  leaves  behind  the  old  man  of  twenty, 
and  passing  him  by,  scorns  his  laggard  pace. 
For  some  are  younger  at  sixty  than  others  are 
at  twenty.  It  is  not  cycles  of  suns  but  sin  that 
makes  man  old.  It  is  the  Christ  of  endless  life 
that  comes  into  every  needy  soul,  that  shines  in 
every  beclouded  face,  that  spreads  His  wings  of 
hope  over  the  grave  of  every  believer. 

Now  we  know  why  it  is  better  to  keep  God's 
commandments  than  to  break  them,  because  they 
have  their  issue  in  the  endless  life.  Now  we  can 
understand  why  King  Canute  could  not  lash 
back  the  sea.  It  is  because  these  things  which 
are  beyond  his  control  are  in  the  hand  of  that 
One  who  never  slumbers  or  sleeps.  Now  we 
see  why  Pilate  could  not  release  or  condemn 
Christ  at  will.  It  was  because  he  was  only  a 
factor  and  not  supreme  in  the  events  which  had 
their  issue  in  eternal  life.  Now  we  can  under- 
stand why  the  sun  and  moon  stood  still  till  Joshua 


The  Power  of  an  Endless  Life      121 

finished  his  battle.  It  was  because  the  events 
of  that  day  were  closely  connected  with  eternal 
things,  which  were  more  important  than  the  mere 
going  of  the  earth  in  its  course.  Now  we  can 
understand  why  Daniel  was  not  devoured  by  the 
lions,  and  why  Joseph  was  not  killed  by  Poti- 
phar.  It  was  because  they  were  only  actors  in  a 
great  plan  which  God  was  working  out  for  all. 

Now  we  know  why  the  scar  in  the  hand  will 
never  rub  out  and  can  never  wear  out.  The  flesh 
will  never  give  up  its  mark,  though  all  the 
particles  about  it  may  change  entirely,  two,  three, 
or  four  times.  There  is  a  something  that  keeps 
it  there,  and  that  something  must  have  to  do  with 
immortality.  The  soul  has  been  wounded  and 
can  not  give  up  the  mark.  Sin  scars  the  heart 
as  the  knife  scars  the  hand. 

Now  we  understand,  too,  why  God  bears  with 
us  so  long  while  we  may  remain  in  sin.  It  is  so 
that  we  may  come  to  Him  in  righteousness  and 
have  the  eternal  reward;  for  He  says  in  verse 
twenty-five  of  this  chapter, 

*'  Wherefore  He  is  able  also  to  save  to  the  utter- 
most all  who  come  to  God  by  Him,  seeing  He 
ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  us."  He  ever 
liveth,  therefore  He  will  ever  plead  our  cause. 

"  That  is  a  worthless  tree,"  says  God,  '*  cut  it 
down  why  cumbereth  it  the  ground  ?  " 

"  No,"  says  Christ,  **  let  it  remain  this  year 
also  and  I  will  tend  it  carefully,  and  if  it  will  not 
bear  fruit  with  the  best  of  care  then  cut  it  down." 


122       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

Even  God  has  not  the  patience  to  endure  fruit- 
lessness  so  long,  but  Christ  is  wilHng  and  able  to 
wait,  for  that  is  His  mission,  for  He  was  not  made 
after  the  law  of  a  carnal  commandment,  but  after 
the  power  of  an  endless  life. 

in.  The  power  of  an  endless  life,  rewards 

LIFE. 

It  is  man's  nature  to  believe  that  there  will  be 
a  reward  for  every  venture.  The  Hellenic  story 
told  of  the  Elysian  fields ;  the  people  shivering  in 
the  Arctic  cold  look  forward  to  their  Walhalla; 
the  Indian  to  his  happy  Hunting  ground ;  the  Jew, 
to  his  Paradise ;  and  the  Christian  to  his  Heaven. 
Every  cause  has  its  effect,  every  sequence  its 
consequence,  every  promise  its  reward.  But 
every  one  knows  that  all  rewards  are  not  given 
now.  Where  is  the  man  who  at  once  gets  his 
full  reward  for  business  honesty,  on  account  of 
which  his  competitor  has  taken  great  advantage. 
Men  laugh  at  him  for  passing  by  the  chance  to 
make  a  fortune  quickly  through  dishonesty.  He 
gets  his  reward,  not  in  this  life,  for  he  has  waited 
long  for  it,  but  rather  in  some  land  where  ac- 
counts are  balanced  with  perfect  accuracy,  by  an 
accountant  who  never  errs. 

Where  in  this  life  will  the  poor  mothers  get 
their  rewards, — those  whose  lives  are  one 
constant  sacrifice — almost  a  burnt  offering — 
for  the  boy  who  spends  his  own  life  as  well 
as  hers,  as  though  life  were  a  thing  only  to  be 


The  Power  of  an  Endless  Life     113 

wasted  as  quickly  as  possible,  and  who  never  says, 
"thank  you,"  to  her  for  anything?  Nowhere 
here  do  they  get  their  reward,  for  they  die  in 
poverty  and  suffering  for  their  boys.  There  must 
be  a  reward  for  them  somewhere.  If  there  is  no 
other  argument  in  authority  of  Holy  Writ,  or  in 
human  mind  for  a  heaven,  this  is  enough.  The 
power  of  the  endless  life  bridges  over  the  places 
of  suffering  and  sorrow  to  the  shining  portal  in 
the  hill  of  God. 

God  does  not  pay  us  off  as  we  go,  and  it  is 
well  that  He  does  not,  else  He  would  be  done 
with  us.  To  be  sure  He  does  pay  off  many,  that 
is,  those  who,  though  they  defy  His  law  and  His 
will  and  His  word,  love  the  best  of  all  that  is  to 
be  had  on  earth.  Of  this  class  Christ  said  long 
ago. 

"  Verily  I  say  unto  you,  they  have  their 
reward." 

But  for  most  of  us  God  holds  back  the  great 
reward,  as  a  father  holds  back  the  estate  until  his 
son  is  of  age,  and  knows  how  to  use  it  well  to  his 
own  good.  Whoever  gives  a  cup  of  cold  water 
in  the  name  of  Christ  shall  not  lose  his  reward. 
He  does  not  say  when  the  reward  will  come,  in 
this  world  or  the  next,  but  it  will  come,  for 
it  is  promised  by  Him  who  was  not  born  after 
the  law  of  a  carnal  commandment,  but  after  the 
power  of  an  endless  life. 

Our  life  lies  mostly  in  the  future,  where  re- 
wards are  sure,  and  it  is  in  the  future  tliat  God 


124       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

will  fully  reward  us  according  to  the  deeds  done 
in  the  body. 

It  is  the  old  story  of  Eden  renewed,  that  every 
tree  shall  bear  fruit  after  its  kind.  The  grape- 
vine need  not  go  to  the  book  of  botany  to  learn 
that  it  will  bear  grapes ;  it  just  goes  on  according 
to  its  nature  and  brings  its  own  fruit. 

The  fig  tree  does  not  ask  the  wind  or  air  or 
sun  if  it  may  bear  figs.  It  must  bear  them,  and 
the  future  harvest  of  the  figs  is  as  sure  as  the 
growth  and  life  of  the  tree.  Every  tree  shall, 
(it  has  no  choice,  it  must  out  of  its  very  nature) 
bear  fruit  after  its  kind.  And  this  is  only  an 
example  of  eternal  things,  when  every  life  and 
every  action  shall  produce  its  own  harvest,  both 
for  to-morrow,  for  next  week  and  for  eternity. 
No  one  shall  live  and  not  see  this  law  fulfilled. 
Thus  we  may  judge  of  the  reward  that  shall  come 
to  us.  We  may  have  again  the  blessings  of  Eden, 
and  see  the  fulfillment  of  God's  promise  more 
gloriously  than  ever  Paul  or  John  saw  them  ful- 
filled, for  the  revelation  is  of  this  life  and  the 
next,  and  is  made  by  Him  who  was  born,  not 
according  to  the  law  of  a  carnal  commandment, 
but  after  the  power  of  an  endless  life. 


"  One  law  for  now  and  the  future, 
One  light  on  the  distant  and  near, 
The   bliss    of   the   boundless   hereafter 
Pulses  in  the  brief  moment  here. 


The  Power  of  an  Endless  Life     125 

*  Life  dawns  on  us,  wakes  us  by  glimpses, 

In  heaven  there  is  opened  a  door, 
The   light  flashes   out   through   earth^s  vistas 
The  dead  are  the  living  once  more. 

'  To  illumine  the  scroll  of  creation, 

One   swift,    sudden  vision   sufficed, 

Every  riddle  in  life,  worth  the  reading 

Has  found  its  interpreter,  Christ." 


IX 

THE   PEACE   OF   GOD 

"  The  peace  of  God  which  passeth  all  understanding, 
shall  keep  your  hearts  and  minds  in  Christ  Jesus." — 
Philip pians  4:  7. 

How  could  Paul  the  homeless,  hunted,  perse- 
cuted old  warrior  of  the  New  Testament  ofifer 
peace  to  anyone?  How  dare  he  to  use  the  word 
peace  forty-two  times  in  his  writings  while  all  the 
rest  of  the  writers  of  the  New  Testament  only 
used  the  word  forty-seven  times,  five  times  more 
than  he? 

Where  did  he,  the  seemingly  troubled  one,  find 
peace?  Did  he  find  it  in  the  Old  Testament, 
where  the  word  occurs  about  one  hundred  and 
seventy-five  times?  No,  for  if  he  had  he  would 
have  possessed  peace  before  he  had  the  vision  on 
the  way  to  Damascus. 

Did  he  learn  it  from  Peter  or  any  of  the  other 
disciples?  No,  for  he  was  too  independent  for 
that.  He  must  have  it  in  an  authority  which  will 
perfectly  satisfy.  And  this  he  could  find  only  in 
the  nature  of  God. 

I.  The  peace  of  God. 

This  is  different  from  any  other  peace,  as  God 
is  different  from  any  other  being.     And  peace, 
126 


The  Peace  of  God  12-7 

in  its  final  analysis  is  harmony  with  God,  whose 
nature  is  sufficient  to  satisfy  every  one.  The  only 
way  that  Spain  could  have  peace,  a  few  years 
ago,  was  to  come  into  harmony  with  the  will  of 
the  United  States,  even  though  she  had  to  be 
driven  to  it.  She  tried  to  find  peace  by  way  of 
her  army  and  navy,  and  in  the  politics  of  Europe, 
at  the  capitals  of  the  various  nations,  and  in  her 
own  statesmanship.  But  in  these  she  failed,  and 
had  to  learn  that  the  price  of  peace  was  surrender 
to  the  great  nation  which  she  opposed. 

To  know  that  the  one  who  is  Almighty  is  our 
friend,  to  know  that  He  is  the  one  whom  we  have 
wronged  and  offended,  and  that  He  has  forgiven 
us,  and  will  protect  us  at  every  turn,  to  know  that 
"  all  things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that 
love  God  and  to  them  that  are  called  according 
to  His  purpose,"  to  know  that  out  of  every  wrong 
shall  come  right,  and  out  of  every  sorrow  shall 
come  joy,  and  out  of  every  loss  shall  come  gain, 
and  out  of  every  defeat  shall  come  victory  to  the 
Christian,— this  is  the  peace  of  God,  for  only  His 
great  nature  can  compass  all  of  these. 

The  only  true  peace  that  the  little  child  can  find 
is  with  its  mother  where  there  is  boundless  love 
to  cover  all  its  little  needs. 

The  fish  finds  peace  and  comfort,  not  upon  the 
shore  away  from  the  water  of  the  sea,  nor  yet 
near  the  shore  where  the  waves  lash  and  dash,  nor 
yet  at  the  surface  of  the  sea  where  the  waves  are 
constant,  but  far  down  in  the  depths  of  the  ocean 


128       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

away  from  agitation  and  disturbance,  there  the 
fish  finds  peace. 

So  when  we  know  the  great  generous  nature 
of  God  deep  and  abiding  Hke  the  fathomless  sea, 
we  do  not  find  the  disturbances  of  Hfe,  but  rather 
Him  in  whom  all  may  find  rest,  for  His  nature 
gives  us  the  deep  and  abiding  peace. 

"  For  in  the  time  of  trouble  He  shall  hide  me 
in  His  pavilion;  in  the  secret  of  His  tabernacle 
shall  He  hide  me." 

He  who  sails  the  ocean  without  regard  to  the 
laws  of  winds,  and  tides,  and  storms  and  stars; 
and  he  who  goes  through  this  world  without  re- 
gard to  the  nature  and  name  of  God  will  not  only 
fail,  but  will  meet  the  storms  that  will  last  until 
he  turns  to  the  haven  of  rest  in  God. 

In  the  Old  Testament  God  stood  forth  as  en- 
compassing all  things  and  said, 

"  I  am  that  I  am." 

More  awful  to  the  Jews  than  any  or  all  other 
things  was  the  name  and  nature  of  God,  so  that 
when  they  read  of  Him  in  His  own  word  they 
passed  over  His  great  name  Jehovah,  in  silent 
awe. 

So  all  nature  rests  in  Him.  There  is  the  fath- 
omless sea  filled  with  untold  riches  bearing  health 
to  all,  carrying  gently  those  who  would  go  from 
land  to  land,  and  ever  sounding  the  perfect 
rhythm  of  the  ages;  and  all  this  is  sustained  by 
that  One  in  whose  nature  we  securely  rest. 

There  is  the  landscape  covered  with  fruits  and 


The  Peace  of  God  129 

flowers  and  waving  grain,  and  whose  horizon 
ever  flees  before  you  as  you  travel  from  place 
to  place,  while  riches  are  strewn  over  mountains 
and  valleys,  and  all  these  rest  in  the  hand  of  the 
Almighty. 

There  is  the  boundless  expanse  of  space  filled 
with  system  upon  system  of  worlds  like  a  shining 
stairway  to  the  everlasting  home  of  the  blessed. 
And  God  sustains  all  these  by  His  own  unerring 
will.  High  above  all  things  God  sits  sublimer 
than  the  mountains,  grander  than  kings,  nobler 
than  all  earthly  lords,  truer  than  parents,  more 
loving  than  lovers;  and  everywhere  and  over  all 
He  is  supreme.  To  rest  in  His  presence — that 
is  peace — the  peace  of  His  infinite  nature. 

"  How  great  a  Being,  Lord  is  Thine 
That  doth  all  beings  keep, 
Thy  knowledge  is  the  only  line 
To  sound  so  vast  a  deep. 

"  Thou  art  a  sea  without  a  shore, 
A  sun  without  a  sphere, 
Thy  time  is  now  and  evermore 
Thy  place  is  everywhere. 

"  Who  should  not  fear  Thy  searchmg  eyes 
Witness  to  all  that's  true, 
Dark  hell  and  deep  hypocrisy 
Lie  plain  before  Thy  view. 

"Motions  and  thoughts  before  they  grow 
Thy  knowledge  doth  espy, 
What  unborn  ages  yet  to  be, 
Is  done  before  thine  eye." 


130       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

11.  This  peace  passeth  all  understanding. 

Paul's  definition  of  the  peace  of  God  is  in  per- 
fect keeping  with  God's  nature,  for  he  confesses 
that  it  can  not  be  defined.  It  *'  passeth  all  under- 
standing." No  mortal  was  so  well  prepared  as 
was  Paul  to  describe  this  peace.  Had  he  not 
rested  in  it  again  and  again,  from  his  great  trials 
and  persecutions?  Had  he  not  seen  heavenly- 
visions  surpassing  any  except  perhaps  those  of 
John  ?  Yet  he  says  it  can  not  be  understood  much 
less  defined. 

The  peace  of  God  passeth  all  understanding 
because  it  is  linked  with  God's  redemption  of 
man.  Who  can  understand  why  *'  God  so  loved 
the  world  that  He  gave  His  only  begotten  Son, 
that  whosoever  believeth  in  Him  should  not  perish 
but  have  everlasting  life  ?  " 

How  can  the  little  child  understand  the  great 
act  of  his  mother  who  saves  him  from  the  flames, 
though  she  herself  is  burned?  Then  who  can 
understand  the  infinitely  greater  act  of  Christ  in 
coming  to  a  sinful  world  and  dying  to  bring  peace 
and  joy  to  the  human  heart.  No  wonder  Paul 
says  it  passeth  understanding. 

That  Christ  should  stoop  to  save  any  one  seems 
strange,  but  that  He  should  select  some  old  hard- 
ened, profane,  leprous  sinner,  whom  all  men  de- 
spise and  shun,  and  then  say  that  He  will  save 
all  such,  who  will  believe,  for  He  says  He  will 
''Save  to  the  uttermost  all  who  will  come  to  God 
by  Plim,"  seems  doubly  strange. 


The  Peace  of  God  131 

It  is  as  though  a  king  were  to  find  the  most 
squalid  hovel  in  his  realm,  one  that  had  in  it, 
malaria,  typhoid  fever,  scarlet  fever,  yellow  fever, 
diphtheria,  small  pox  and  consumption,  and  had 
never  been  purified,  and  take  that  as  his  dwelling 
place.  Then,  it  is  as  though  his  very  presence, 
his  heroic  sacrifice,  for  though  he  dies,  he  lives 
again,  puts  disease  to  flight,  and  he  bears  in 
himself  the  power  of  all  of  these,  yet  not  their 
guilt  and  pollution;  till  malaria  sneaks  away  into 
the  swamps,  and  typhoid  fever  crawls  out  with  its 
slow,  sluggish  step,  and  scarlet  fever  runs  with 
its  red  flag,  and  small  pox  takes  away  even  its 
foot  prints  from  the  face  until  all  are  gone.  Can 
you  understand  this?  No,  you  will  sooner  test 
the  value  of  the  famous  painting,  the  Angelus, 
by  weight  upon  the  scales,  or  buy  St.  Peter's 
Cathedral  at  Rome,  by  the  cubic  foot,  or  count 
the  drops  of  water  in  the  sea,  or  tell  off  the  sun- 
beams by  the  yard.  No,  we  can  not  now  under- 
stand the  full  meaning  of  the  peace  of  God. 

After  the  surrender  of  the  Spanish  army  at 
Santiago,  General  Toral  sent  messengers  to  the 
soldiers  in  the  smaller  towns  to  tell  them  that 
they  were  included  in  the  surrender,  and  that  they 
were  to  be  sent  home  to  Spain,  by  the  enemy,  the 
United  States.  But  the  soldiers  would  not  believe 
until  they  sent  to  see  if  the  good  news  was  really 
true.  It  passed  their  understanding,  and  no  won- 
der, for  such  a  thing  had  never  happened  in  all 
the  history  of  the  world., 


132       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

Yes,  Paul  was  right,  for  we  can  not  under- 
stand the  peace  of  God,  yet  we  may  enjoy  its 
power,  as  we  may  enjoy  the  Angelus,  St.  Peter's, 
the  flashing  sunbeams,  and  ten  thousand  other 
things  which  we  may  not  fully  understand,  and 
which  come  as  great  gifts  from  God.  The  peace 
of  God  which  passeth  all  understanding  is  through 
the  great  gift  of  His  Son. 

"  Peace,  peace,  sweet  peace, 
Wonderful   gift   from  above, 
O   wonderful,   wonderful   peace 
Sweet  peace,  the  gift  of  God's  love." 

III.  Shall  keep  your  hearts  and  minds  in 
Christ  Jesus. 

It  is  the  picture  of  a  military  guard,  with  picket 
line  all  around  and  the  strength  and  power  of  an 
army  to  protect. 

When  the  Spanish  army  at  Santiago  surren- 
dered to  the  United  States  forces,  the  latter  at 
once  became  the  guards  of  the  former.  Those 
who  were  enemies  a  little  while  before,  were  then 
in  perfect  safety  because  kept  by  the  power  to 
whom  they  had  surrendered.  Now  the  American 
soldier,  who  a  while  ago  might  have  been  killed 
by  the  Spaniard,  will  give  his  life,  if  need  be, 
for  that  very  enemy,  and  the  Cubans  who  tried 
to  kill  and  rob  the  soldiers  of  Spain  were  driven 
away  by  the  sentinels  of  the  United  States  army 
who  were  keeping  the  army  of  Spain  in  perfect 


The  Peace  of  God  133 

peace.  Let  any  one  attack  those  who  have  sur- 
rendered  to  the  American  army,  and  the  whole 
power  of  the  nation  may  be  had  as  a  protection. 

So  while  we  are  enemies  to  God,  He  is  against 
us,  and  we  have  fear  and  agitation  and  war.  We 
are  troubled  and  tried  and  defeated  to  show  us 
that  we  need  the  eternal  guard  to  keep  our  hearts 
and  minds. 

But  when  we  come  and  give  to  Him  our  hearts 
and  lives,  then  He  keeps  us  from  dangers  and 
defeats  and  even  from  the  wearing  power  of  fear. 
All  the  forces  of  heaven,  and  all  the  power  of  the 
Almighty,  that  may  be  necessary,  will  come  to 
our  help  and  will  keep  our  hearts  and  minds  in 
Christ  Jesus. 

Why  is  it,  that  there  are  no  walls  around  New 
York,  Philadelphia,  Chicago  and  all  other  cities 
of  the  land?  It  is  because  peace  stands  guard 
and  no  enemy  shall  dare  to  pass  that  divinely  ap- 
pointed sentinel.  Why  was  it  that  the  heaviest 
walls,  one  beyond  another  of  Peking,  the  great- 
est walled  city  in  the  world,  were  no  match  for 
the  allied  forces  a  little  while  ago?  It  was  be- 
cause this  peace  of  God  was  not  there.  Not  only 
were  their  hearts  and  minds  not  guarded,  but 
their  homes  and  lives  found  no  safety  until  they 
surrendered  to  their  enemy  who  proved  to  be  their 
best  friend.  So  the  best  protection  of  earth  can 
not  compare  with  this  one  great  power  which  we 
receive  when  we  are  obedient  to  Him  who  gives 


134       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

us  the  peace  which  passeth  all  understanding  and 
which  shall  keep  our  hearts  and  minds  in  Christ 
Jesus. 

While  sitting  on  the  deck  of  an  Atlantic 
steamer,  far  out  at  sea,  we  suddenly  saw  the  sea 
grow  calm  within  a  circle  of  swirling  water.  All 
outside,  was  clash  and  lash  of  wave.  Three  times 
did  the  great  ship  go  round  and  round,  like  some 
huge  beast  grinding  at  the  mill.  Then  some  one 
said, 

"  See  there,  the  ship  is  describing  a  circle,  what 
does  that  mean  ?  "     Then  another  said, 

"  It  must  be  that  one  pair  of  engines  is  disabled 
and  the  ship  is  beyond  control."  So  all  was  con- 
fusion for  a  time,  and  still  the  ship  went  round 
and  round.  Then  one  came  from  the  captain  and 
said  with  cheerful  voice, 

''  They  are  only  proving  the  compass."  So 
instead  of  anything  being  wrong  as  we  feared, 
all  things  were  being  proved  right. 

So,  God  in  His  infinite  might  seems  to  be  a 
great  mystery  to  us.  We  become  confused  and 
think  that  all  is  going  to  ruin.  But  when  we  look 
again  we  see  that  all  within  the  charmed  circle 
is  growing  calm  and  we  hear  the  voice  from  our 
great  Captain  saying  that  all  is  well. 

There  is  just  one  measure  of  your  security  at 
sea,  and  that  is  not  the  bolts  and  masts  and  bars 
of  the  ship,  but  it  is  the  captain's  face.  I  have 
several  times  in  a  heavy  sea  and  in  the  storm  gone 
out,  holding  tightly  to  the  ship,  lest  I  might  be 


The  Peace  of  God  135 

swept  away,  and  watched  the  captain's  face.  The 
ship  seemed  entirely  in  the  hands  of  the  giant 
ocean.  We  would  be  lifted  high  toward  the  sky 
and  then  as  by  a  mighty  force  we  were  hurled 
down,  as  though  to  strike  the  jagged  rocks  be- 
neath. But  there  stood  the  captain  at  his  post 
unmoved.  Then  the  sea  would  come  running 
from  either  side  as  though  with  one  mighty  effort 
to  dash  the  ship  in  pieces,  strike  with  terrific  force, 
and  for  a  moment  it  would  quiver  as  though  about 
to  go  to  fragments,  then  shoot  down  like  mad. 
Surely  now  the  captain  will  be  frightened.  But 
his  great  browned  face  never  changed  its  confi- 
dent setting  of  a  single  feature.  It  was  evident 
that  he  was  master  of  the  sea  and  of  his  ship. 
And  the  peace  of  that  captain  put  our  hearts  and 
minds  to  rest  and  I  said,  "  There  is  no  danger 
while  that  captain  is  so  calm." 

In  all  the  ways  of  life  there  is  just  one  measure 
of  security,  and  that  is  our  Father's  face.  We 
may  be  cast  about  till  we  seem  to  have  no  place 
on  which  to  stand.  We  may  be  sent  down  until 
we  stand  at  the  lowest  point,  at  the  open  grave; 
disease  may  come  fast  and  furious,  yet  so  long  as 
the  heavenly  Father's  face  is  calm  there  is  no 
danger.  Go  look  in  His  face  in  the  times  of 
distress  and  trial  and  all  will  grow  calm,  for  the 
peace  of  God  which  passeth  all  understanding 
will  keep  our  hearts  and  minds  in  Christ  Jesus. 
Peter  was  one  of  the  first  to  look  into  that  calm 
face  after  Christ's  resurrection,  and  the  old  joy 


136       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

and  confidence  which  he  had  lost  through  the 
denial  came  to  him  to  abide  forever. 

Man  knows  well  the  flow  of  the  tides  and  the 
flight  of  the  winds,  yet  how  little  does  he  know 
of  his  spiritual  storms  or  calms.  Still  God  knows 
and  in  this  supreme  knowledge  and  power  man 
may  rest.  From  the  human  side  the  trouble  belt 
in  the  world  is  not  very  wide.  The  atmosphere 
where  are  storm  and  calm,  is  only  about  twelve 
miles  high.  The  water  at  Niagara  Falls  is  only 
about  twenty-five  feet  deep  where  all  is  foam  and 
roar  and  danger.  But  down  where  the  ocean  is 
one  thousand  feet  deep  there  is  rest  and  peace. 
So  one  can  easily  go  beyond  the  trouble  line,  as  the 
fish  can  easily  go  below  the  seething  surface  of 
the  water,  the  worm  can  easily  go  below  the  frost 
line,  the  eagle  can  fly  beyond  the  driving  storm 
and  bathe  his  feathers  in  the  shining  sun. 

Thus  we  may  run  to  the  covert  from  the  storm 
and  find  in  the  presence  of  the  great  God  who 
controls  all  things,  that  peace  of  God  which  keeps 
the  heart  and  mind  in  Christ  Jesus. 

Here  is  an  old  godly  mother  who  has  had 
heavy  cares  and  numerous  trials  from  childhood, 
who  has  lost  money,  friends  and  loved  ones,  until 
you  think  she  must  be  full  of  blinding  sorrow.  If 
you  listen  by  the  door  of  the  humble  home  you 
will  hear  her  say, 

" '  Thy  will  be  done.'  I'll  lean  the  harder  on 
His  strong  arm;  for  He  has  said,  'I  will  keep 


The  Peace  of  God  137 

him   in  perfect  peace  whose   mind   is   staid  on 
Thee.'  " 

And  she  shuts  out  the  trouble  as  she  enters 
into  His  presence,  and  puts  the  whole  world  to 
rest  as  she  finds  the  peace  of  God.  Who  would 
not  be  a  child  again  to  learn  this  great  lesson  from 
such  a  life?  Who  would  not  willingly  rest  again 
from  the  cares  and  trials  of  hard  pressing  life, 
and  say, 

"  Backward  turn  backward 

O  time  in  thy  flight, 

Make  me  a  child  again 

Just  for  to-night.    - 

"  Mother  come  back 

From  the  echoless  shore, 
Take  me  again 
To  your  heart  as  of  yore. 

*'  Over  my  slumber 

Thy  loving  watch  keep, 
Rock  me  to  sleep 
Mother,  rock  me  to  sleep." 

Dear  mother,  who  in  a  restless  sorrowing 
world  reminds  us  of  the  peace  of  childhood,  thou 
dost  also  teach  us  of  the  peace  of  God  which  pass- 
eth  all  understanding,  and  which  shall  keep  our 
hearts  and  minds  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  which  we 
find  when  we  are, 

"  Safe  in  the  arms  of  Jesus, 
Safe  on  His  gentle  breast, 
There  by  His  love  o'ershaded 
Sweetly  my  soul  shall  rest." 


WHAT  ALL  SHOULD  DO  ABOUT  THE  GOSPEL 

*'  Nfcodemus  ....  came  to  Jesus  by  night  and 
said  unto  Him,  Rabbi  we  know  that  thou  art  a  teacher 
come  from  God,  for  no  man  can  do  these  miracles  that 
thou  doest  except  God  be  with  him." — St.  John  3:  2. 

While  seated  in  an  elevated  train  in  our  city 
some  time  ago,  I  saw  a  penny  on  the  floor  be- 
tween two  gentlemen,  both  of  whom  spied  the 
piece  of  money  at  the  same  instant.  Each  mo- 
tioned the  other  to  take  it,  and  each  refused. 
Again  there  was  from  each  to  the  other  the  com- 
mand with  hand,  and  eye,  and  head,  to  take  the 
money.  Then  one  took  it  up  and  handed  it  to  the 
other  and  the  other  refused  it.  Then  said  the  new 
possessor  of  the  coin, 

"What  shall  I  do  with  it?" 

"  What  is  generally  done  with  money  ?  "  asked 
the  other. 

It  was  evident  that  neither  of  the  men  wanted 
to  be  so  small  as  to  be  sold  for  a  cent.  If  it  had 
been  $500,  or  $5,000,  or  $50,000,  what  a  dispute 
there  would  have  been  as  to  who  saw  the  money 
first,  and  as  to  who  was  the  owner,  for  either 
would  have  taken  the  risk  of  some  trouble  for 
that  amount. 

138 


What  all  Should  do  About  the  Gospel   139 

So  we  pass  quickly  by  that  which  we  regard 
as  worthless,  and  will  not  touch  it.  But  that  which 
we  value  highly  receives  our  life  homage. 

The  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  embodiment  of 
the  life  of  its  Author,  seems  to  us  almost  worth- 
less, as  did  the  penny  to  the  two  men  in  the  car. 
And  by  what  we  do  about  it,  all  will  know  how 
highly  we  value  its  preciousness. 

I.  To  GIVE  THE  Gospel  proper  attention  is  the 

FIRST    great    duty    OF   ALL    IN    REGARD   TO 

THE  Gospel. 

Very  few  seem  to  do  that  in  these  days.  Old 
Nicodemus  came  to  Christ  and  said, 

"  We  know  that  Thou  art  a  teacher  sent  from 
God."    "We  know." 

"  We  do  not  know,"  is  often  the  cry  of  to- 
day. Few  of  us  have  definite  religious  knowl- 
edge and  fewer  definite  religious  convictions.  We 
can  not  be  sure.  And  yet  we  have  a  better  reason 
for  knowing  now  than  had  Nicodemus. 

It  is  very  strange  that  we  know  the  least  about 
the  most  important  things  of  life.  You  stop  1,000 
men  in  the  street  and  ask  them  where  they  are 
going  and  999  will  tell  you  exactly  where  they 
will  soon  arrive,  street  number  and  all.  But  you 
stop  1,000  and  ask  them  what  about  the  journey 
of  life  that  goes  beyond  street  and  number  in  any 
earthly  city,  and  a  large  number  of  them  will  not 
know,  they  have  not  mapped  out  life's  journey 
that  far  ahead.     It  is  easy  to  plan  for  a  short 


140       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

journey.  You  can  do  that  without  any  trouble, 
but  you  need  help  for  a  long  one,  and  here  is 
where  the  Gospel  aids  you.  It  is  the  guide  book, 
the  sailing  chart ;  and  Christ  Himself  is  the  Guide 
and  the  Captain. 

Attention  to  the  Gospel  is  what  is  needed,  for 
it  brings  to  us  in  the  form  of  "we  know  "  what 
is  the  absolute  certainty,  the  value  and  the  blessed- 
ness of  life.  O  how  we  should  seek  the  best  in 
life,  O  how  we  should  know  life's  value  in  the 
Gospel.  An  old  farmer  who  stuttered  a  great 
deal,  went  to  his  town  in  a  western  State  to  tele- 
phone to  a  friend  a  couple  of  hundred  miles  away. 
The  friend  noticed  that  the  farmer  did  not  stutter 
as  he  had  been  accustomed  to  do,  and  when  the 
conversation  was  finished  he  said, 

**  You  seem  to  talk  better  since  you  went  out 
there.  You  don't  stutter  like  you  used  to."  The 
other  answered  without  repeating  a  single  letter 
and  as  clear  as  a  bell, 

*'  No,  a  man  can  not  afford  to  stutter  through 
a  telephone  when  talk  costs  him  fifty  cents  a 
minute." 

So  the  man  who  knows  the  importance  of  life 
and  the  responsibilities  of  living,  will  not  let  the 
impediments  of  his  lower  nature  bother  him  in 
the  least.  Blessed  is  the  man  whose  long  distance 
talk  to  his  God  is  better  than  his  talk  to  his  fellow 
men.  It  is  by  means  of  this  helpful  Gospel  of 
Christ  and  the  Christ  of  the  Gospel  that  we  are 
able  to  have  this  swiftness  and  certainty  of  life 


What  all  Should  do  About  the  Gospel   141 

toward  the  future  so  that  we  shall  say  with  Nico- 
demus,  '*  We  know  that  Thou  art  come  from 
God, — we  know." 

Why  do  we  know?  Because  we  have  learned 
it.  We  have  put  our  attention  upon  these  things 
until  they  have  become  our  possession. 

So  we  need  to  put  our  attention  upon  this 
greatest  of  all  sources  of  knowledge.  We  need 
to  find  out  about  the  Gospel,  to  know  its  power, 
to  feel  its  force,  to  live  its  greatness. 

Why  there  are  plenty  of  people  who  know  noth- 
ing about  Astronomy  though  they  have  heard  the 
names  of  the  greatest  astronomers.  There  are  a 
great  many  who  know  nothing  about  Mathemat- 
ics, and  yet  they  have  heard  the  name  of  Euclid. 
There  are  thousands  who  know  nothing  of  elec- 
tricity, though  they  hear  of  Morse  and  Edison 
and  Tesla,  nearly  every  day.  Their  trouble  is 
they  have  not  given  these  subjects  time  and  atten- 
tion. 

Great  fortunes  have  been  the  wonder  of  this 
age.  Men  who  started  in  life  without  a  penny 
fairly  rule  this  country.  If  you  ask  them  how  i^t 
came  they  will  tell  you  that  they  did  it  by  putting 
their  whole  time  and  attention  on  a  plan  that 
would  work.  They  put  themselves  into  it  and 
they  knew  they  would  then  succeed,  they  could 
not  help  it. 

These  are  colossal  lessons  to  the  Gospel  seeker. 
It  is  folly  for  you  to  think  that  you  are  going  to 
get  good  out  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ  without  giv- 


142       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

ing  it  time  and  money  and  attention.  Do  you  ex- 
pect to  absorb  a  good  life  and  a  character  like 
God's?  Have  a  care  then,  for  the  human  pores 
are  tightly  closed  to  the  coming  in  of  anything. 
You  might  rather  expect  that  the  money  in  the 
banks  will  come  out  and  chase  after  you,  as  you 
race  along  the  street,  and  roll  up  into  your  pock- 
ets for  your  use,  than  that  you  are  going  to  gain 
a  character  that  is  godlike,  and  which  will  give 
you  peace  here  and  eternal  life  there,  without 
attention  and  application  and  study.  Paul  said, 
"  1  beat  myself  under  the  eyes,  that  I  may  not 
be  a  castaway."  I  plead  with  you  to  put  your 
attention  upon  this  Gospel  of  Christ  and  it  will 
pay  you  better  than  any  millionaire  has  ever  been 
paid  in  dollars  for  his  ceaseless  labour. 

If  this  Gospel  deserved  the  attention  of  Nico- 
demus  and  of  our  fathers  and  mothers  it  surely 
must  have  our  changeless  devotion. 

Then  this  Gospel  never  disappoints.  No  man 
comes  seriously  and  honestly  to  it  without  being 
richly  paid.  You  spend  years  at  learning  a  busi- 
ness by  which  you  are  to  earn  your  daily  bread. 
You  go  through  the  hardest  training  to  become 
educated  in  body  and  mind.  You  spend  years 
of  time  and  the  closest  attention  for  the  achieve- 
ment of  one  victory  in  politics,  in  literature  or 
in  business.  Why  then  should  you  begrudge  any 
time  to  religion  which  promises  you  all  that  you 
may  ever  hope  to  receive  in  the  next  world. 

Beside  all  this  a  man  may  fail  as  a  banker.    He 


What  all  Should  do  About  the  Gospel   143 

may  fail  as  a  mechanic,  he  may  fail  as  an  orator, 
though  he  may  work  very  hard,  and  be  as  dili- 
gent as  is  possible.  But  no  man  ever  gives  his 
time  and  attention  and  heart  life  to  the  Gospel  of 
Christ  without  his  reward.  All  that  Christ  asks 
is  your  attention. 

Some  years  ago  in  England  two  men  said  they 
would  prove  the  life  of  Christ  a  failure  and  the 
Gospel  a  myth.  In  order  to  do  this  they  decided 
to  attack  two  of  the  great  facts  in  the  history  of 
Christianity.  One  took  the  resurrection  of  Christ 
and  the  other  the  conversion  of  Paul.  They  stud- 
ied all  history  sacred  and  profane  and  to  the 
astonishment  of  the  world,  and  to  the  delight  of 
all  Christians,  they  produced  not  two  volumes 
against  Christianity,  but  two  of  the  strongest  tes- 
timonies in  its  favour  the  world  has  ever  seen. 
All  the  Gospel  asked  was  their  serious,  honest  at- 
tention and  when  they  saw  they  believed. 

A  few  years  ago  two  friends  were  talking,  when 
one  asked  the  other  if  he  still  believed  in  infidelity. 
The  other  said  he  did  and  then  added  that  he  be- 
lieved a  beautiful  story  could  be  written  about 
the  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  The  other  said  he  be- 
lieved he  would  write  such  a  book.  So  he  went 
to  Palestine  and  studied  the  life  of  Christ  there, 
and  instead  of  writing  a  book  against  Christ  and 
Christianity  as  was  at  first  intended  he  wrote 
one  of  the  greatest  books  Christianity  has  ever 
numbered  among  her  triumphs.  All  that  the 
Christ  of  the  Gospel  asked  of  any  of  these  men 


144       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

was  time  and  attention.  Ingersoll  only  ridiculed 
the  Gospel  of  Christ.  He  did  not  study  it.  He 
was  only  a  profane  joker  in  holy  things.  Gen, 
Lew  Wallace  gave  his  attention  and  the  Gospel 
did  what  it  always  will  do,  it  won  his  heart,  and 
he  then  wrote  the  great  book,  Ben  Hur. 

The  Gospel  comes  with  an  honest  demand  that 
you  give  it  your  attention,  and  then  you  will  have 
the  certainty  of  eternal  life,  and  may  say  with 
Nicodemus,  "  We  know." 

n.  To  SET  A  GREAT  VALUE  UPON  THE  GoSPEL 
IS  THE  SECOND  DUTY  OF  EVERYONE  IN  RE- 
GARD TO  THE  GREAT  MESSAGE. 

Nicodemus  was  like  the  thousands  of  our  day 
who,  like  the  men  in  the  street  car,  want  the 
penny  but  do  not  wish  to  be  seen  picking  it  up. 
He  came  at  night  because  he  did  not  wish  at 
once  to  be  identified  with  the  cause  of  the  Nazar- 
ene.  He  did  not  know  the  value  of  the  good  news 
offered  him.  His  way  of  thinking  was  the  best, 
he  believed.  He  placed  his  "  We  know  "  over 
against  the  "  I  am  "  of  the  divine  message.  For 
the  time  this  message  of  Christ  was  to  him  only 
as  the  penny  which  lay  at  his  feet,  not  worth  his 
attention. 

The  reason  why  we  do  not  become  Christians 
sooner  is  because  we  undervalue  the  Gospel.  We 
consider  it  something  to  be  taken,  like  medicine 
when  we  are  sick  and  about  to  die.  It  is  too 
often  regarded  as  was  the  penny  in  the  car,  which 


What  all  Should  do  About  the  Gospel   145 

can  not  do  us  much  good  at  best  if  taken,  and 
hence  is  not  much  loss  to  us  if  we  do  not  have  it. 
We  do  as  little  as  possible  for  the  great  cause 
which  is  divine,  counting  it  next  to  worthless 
and  then  when  trouble  and  calamity  and  death 
come  we  wonder  why  it  is  that  religion  is  of  no 
use.  It  is  the  man  who  picks  up  the  pennies  that 
has  the  fortune  at  the  end  of  life.  It  is  the  man 
who  learns  of  this  wonderful  Gospel  down  deep 
in  his  mind  and  soul  that  has  the  religion  that 
pays.  Men  come  to  the  end  of  life  and  think  it 
strange  that  they  do  not  feel  religious  when  they 
are  about  to  die.  They  think  that  religion  ought 
to  take  hold  of  them,  whereas  they  ought  long 
ago  to  have  taken  hold  of  religion.  The  things 
that  are  prominent  at  the  end  of  life  are  the  things 
that  have  had  power  all  along  the  way.  The 
man  in  the  car  did  not  see  much  use  in  the  one 
penny,  but  he  would  if  he  had  had  it  multiplied 
by  a  million.  You  do  not  see  the  value  of  the 
Christian  life,  but  you  will  if  you  come  honestly 
and  see  the  blessings  of  life  multiplied  by  in- 
finity. 

Nicodemus  perhaps  thought  he  would  belittle 
himself  by  coming  out  actively  for  Christ.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Sanhedrin,  a  religious  and 
a  civil  ruler  among  his  people.  How  could  he 
come  down  to  this  low  level  of  the  Gospel  ? 

However  Christ  soon  showed  him  that  his 
wealth  and  greatness,  when  compared  to  that  of 
Christ  was  in  the  ratio  of  nothing  to  infinity  of 


146       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

value,  and  that  proportion  remains  the  same  to- 
day. The  man  who  thinks  that  he  behttles  him- 
self or  compromises  himself  by  becoming  a  Chris- 
tian has  not  yet  begun  to  understand  values.  He 
has  not  yet  adopted  the  standard,  the  smallest  unit 
of  which  is  beyond  the  multiplied  arithmetical 
and  geometrical  progressions  of  his  own  enumera- 
tion. 

Christ  was  so  much  greater  than  Nicodemus 
here  in  this  interview,  that  Nicodemus  seemed 
like  a  twittering  sparrow  or  a  chirping  cricket  in 
the  presence  of  a  Mozart  or  a  Mendelssohn.  Did 
it  belittle  Nicodemus  to  come  to  Christ?  No,  for 
this  and  one  other  act,  that  of  his  helping  in  the 
tender  service  of  the  burial  of  Jesus,  were  the 
only  immortal  deeds  he  ever  did.  All  else  van- 
ished from  the  page  of  history  long  ago,  but  this, 
which  he  considered  a  small  act,  and  which  was 
done  at  night,  will  remain  the  mark  of  his  earthly 
immortality  and  will  blaze  forever  in  the  bright 
light  of  the  eternal  day. 

It  is  not  then  a  small  thing  to  become  a  Chris- 
tian. It  is  the  greatest  act  of  life.  It  is  that 
which  immortalizes  you  and  makes  you  an  orator 
of  good  forever,  like  Abel  of  old,  who  "  being 
dead  yet  speaketh."  It  gives  your  good  deeds 
to  history  to  be  seen  and  read  of  all  men,  hke 
the  woman  who  anointed  Jesus  with  the  oint- 
ment, so  she  was  linked  forever  with  the  Gospel, 
for  it  is  said  that :  "  Wheresoever  this  Gospel  is 


What  all  Should  do  About  the  Gospel   147 

preached,   this   also  that  she  has   done  shall  be 
told  as  a  memorial  of  her." 

To  become  immortal  you  must  unite  with  that 
person— the  Christ — and  that  power — the  Gospel 
— which  will  live  forever  and  ever. 

O  that  you  might  know  the  value  of  the  Gos- 
pel of  Jesus  Christ.  Moses  considered  it  of  more 
value  than  all  the  treasures  in  Egypt.  Paul  gave 
up  everything,  even  his  life  for  the  Gospel's  sake. 
O  wondrous  power  that  moves  and  sways  the 
world  and  swings  it  on  toward  the  very  gate  of 
heaven.  Is  this  a  small  power  ?  Look  at  its  repre- 
sentative, Christ.  We  look  and  we  say  like  the 
poor  demoniac  of  Gadara,  "What  have  we  to 
do  with  this  Jesus,  the  son  of  David."  We  come 
like  keen  old  Nicodemus  and  ask,  how  can  these 
things  be?  We  do  not  know  in  whose  presence 
we  are.    We  do  not  know  that  this  is  the  King. 

It  is  said  that  the  present  German  Emperor 
one  day  took  a  long  walk  at  Potsdam.  He  had 
gone  further  than  usual  and  at  dusk  he  was  dusty 
and  weary  and  still  some  distance  from  the  palace. 
A  country  woman,  one  of  his  subjects,  driving 
a  cart  overtook  him.  He  spoke  to  her  politely 
and  asked  if  he  might  take  a  seat  in  her  cart.  She 
looked  for  a  moment  at  the  dusty  and  travel 
stained  king  and  then  whipping  up  her  horse,  she 
said: 

"  Not  I,  I  don't  like  the  looks  of  you."  Some 
distance  down  the  road  a  mounted  patrol  stopped 


148        The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

the  woman  and  asked  her  what  the  Kaiser  said 
to  her. 

"The  Kaiser/'  she  said,  "was  that  the  Kai- 
ser ?  "  Then  as  the  truth  dawned  upon  her  she 
gave  one  glance  at  the  king  as  he  was  approach- 
ing, whipped  up  her  horse  and  was  soon  out  of 
sight.  She  did  not  know  her  king.  So  with  Nico- 
demus,  so  with  you  and  me,  we  do  not  know 
Him,  we  do  not  know  that  He  is  the  King  of 
kings  and  Lord  of  lords. 

"  Behold  a  stranger  at  the  door 
He  gently  knocks,  has  knocked  before 
Has  waited  long   is  waiting  still, 
You  treat  no  other  friend  so  ill." 

It  will  make  you  great  to  ride  and  abide  with 
the  King.  Let  us  then  come  not  timidly  like 
Nicodemus  as  though  the  Gospel  is  only  a  worth- 
less thing,  but  let  us  come  boldly  to  our  King  and 
to  the  everlasting  treasures  of  His  kingdom. 

HL    To   ACCEPT   THE   ChRIST   OF   REVELATION,    IS 
THE  THIRD  GREAT  DUTY  OF  ALL  IN  REGARD 

TO  THE  Gospel. 

Nicodemus  said, 

"  No  man  can  do  these  miracles  which  Thou 
doest  except  God  be  with  him."  It  was  then  a 
divine  claim.  This  claim  has  never  been  dis- 
proved or  set  aside,  so  the  obligation  rests  upon 
everyone  to  accept  Christ.  He  does  things  dif- 
ferently from  the  way  they  are  done  by  anyone 
else.    Why  should  it  be  thought  strange  then  that 


What  all  Should  do  About  the  Gospel  149 

we  should  not  understand  everything  about  Chris- 
tianity. If  we  understood  all,  the  Gospel  would 
not  go  beyond  the  human  ken,  and  would  not  be 
greater  than  a  great  human  production.  From 
its  very  nature  there  must  be  things  in  the  Gos- 
pel which  we  can  not  yet  understand.  And  when 
Nicodemus  asked, 

"  How  can  these  things  be,"  he  was  giving 
his  testimony  that  no  man  can  do  the  things  that 
Christ  did  except  God  be  with  him. 

Why  did  Nicodemus  want  to  understand  all? 
Why  do  we  want  to  know  the  how  of  every- 
thing, for  that  is  impossible? 

Suppose  the  boy  of  five  years  should  go  to 
his  father  who  had  invented  a  wonderful  ma- 
chine, such  as  a  printing  press,  and  say, 

"  I  will  not  believe  in  this  machine  or  work 
with  it  until  I  can  understand  how  it  is  made 
and  how  it  is  operated."  "  But,"  says  the 
father,  ''  you  can't  understand  it.  I  might  waste 
all  my  time  explaining  and  yet  you  could  not 
understand." 

"  Well,"  says  the  boy,  "  I  will  never  have  any- 
thing to  do  with  it  unless  I  can  perfectly  under- 
stand." 

"  But,"  says  the  father,  "  you  will  learn  as 
you  go  on." 

"  No,"  says  the  boy.    "  I  must  know  now." 

That  boy  is  just  like  the  man  who  says, 

"  I  will  not  accept  Christ  and  Christianity  until 
I  can  understand  all." 


150       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

How  foolish !  How  can  the  child  understand, 
how  can  you  understand  except  by  learning? 

Yes  Christianity,  the  Gospel  demands  your  at- 
tention, your  faith,  even  though  you  can  not 
understand. 

We  can  not  understand  the  how  of  anything 
very  well,  that  is  nearly  always  mysterious.  You 
can  not  understand  the  growth  of  the  lily.  Christ 
threw  this  out  as  a  challenge  at  the  beginning  of 
his  ministry,  when  he  said, 

"  Behold  the  lilies  of  the  field,  how  they  grow." 

But  no  one  has  yet  understood  or  explained 
their  growth.  Then  why  should  the  hozv  of  the 
change  of  our  hearts  and  lives  be  thought  strange  ? 
The  fact  that  it  is  so  is  sufficient  as  Nicodemus 
expressed  it  when  he  said, 

"  No  one  can  do  (not  how  they  do)  these 
miracles  unless  God  be  with  him."  You  are  dif- 
ferent from  what  you  were  10,  20,  30  years  ago. 
You  do  not  know  how  it  is  but  you  understand 
the  difference.  So  when  God  tells  us  that  in  His 
Son  we  are  to  have  changed  hearts  and  different 
lives,  as  different  as  though  we  were  to  be  born 
into  a  new  world,  we  know  it  is  true,  because  no 
one  can  do  these  things  except  the  God  of  power. 
Trust  your  life  to  the  Christ  of  the  Gospel,  it  will 
pay  though  men  may  say  you  will  fail. 

A  youth  one  day  was  climbing  the  Alps;  far 
up  the  cliffs  he  had  gone  till  the  sun  had  set  and 
the  night  was  upon  him.  Kind  hearted  villagers 
warned  him  of  his  danger  but  he  would  not  stay. 


What  all  Should  do  About  the  Gospel   151 

Highef  and  still  higher  he  climbed.  The  gray 
dawn  of  the  next  day  revealed  his  lifeless  body 
in  the  snow,  and  in  his  hand  the  banner  of  his 
hope. 

"  There   in  the  twilight   cold   and   gray 
Lifeless  but  beautiful  he  lay, 
And  from  the  sky  serene  and  far 
A  voice  fell  like  a  falling  star. 

Excelsior ! " 

Why  did  the  poet  Longfellow  immortalize  this 
youth  who  perished  foolishly?  If  he  had  reached 
the  top  of  the  mountain  in  spite  of  the  snow  and 
cold  and  storm,  or  if  he  had  arrived  there  sooner 
than  any  one  else  and  so  had  broken  the  record, 
as  they  say  in  this  age  of  fast  and  furious  con- 
test, then  we  might  have  expected  poetry  to  com- 
memorate his  heroism.  But  he  never  reached  the 
top,  and  his  climbing  was  a  failure,  but  his  life 
was  not.  He  trusted  himself  to  a  great  and  lofty 
cause  and  in  that  he  never  failed. 

The  great  poems  of  the  world  are  about  men 
who  trusted  themselves  to  a  great  cause  and 
seemed  to  lose.  There  is  that  one  of  Wordsworth 
about  Toussaint  L'Ouverture.  Toussaint  was  a 
black  slave  of  San  Domingo,  one  of  the  West 
Indies.  In  1794  the  French  government  freed 
all  the  slaves  on  this  island  and  Toussaint  soon 
became  the  governor.  In  1802  Napoleon  sent  an 
army  to  reduce  them  again  to  slavery.  Though 
he   did   not   succeed,    he   did   take   Toussaint   to 


152       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

France  and  confined  him  in  a  mountain  fortress 
where  he  soon  died,  as  Napoleon  expected  he 
would.  But  in  the  poem  of  Wordsworth  he  will 
always  live,  while  liberty  has  life.  He  gave  him- 
self to  the  Gospel  of  Liberty  and  so  he  con- 
quered. 

He  who  gives  his  life  attention  to  the  Gospel 
of  Christ  shall  live  forever  in  name  and  fame, 
even  in  the  face  of  apparent  failure  as  did  Tous- 
saint  L'Ouverture,  and  as  did  Nicodemus. 


XI 

life's  venture 

"  Launch  out  into  the  deep,  and  let  down  your  nets 
for  a  draught." — St.  Luke  5;  4. 

What  did  this  Carpenter  know  about  fishing? 
What  could  He  say  that  would  help  these  men, 
who  knew  from  childhood  every  foot  of  the  shore 
and  every  fathom  of  the  water  of  the  Sea  of  Gali- 
lee? What  could  He  tell  them  about  fishing  in 
the  day,  the  unusual  time,  when  they  with  their 
best  experience  had  toiled  all  night,  the  proper 
time  for  fishing,  and  had  caught  nothing?  Did 
He  wish  to  mock  their  failure?  No,  He  did  not. 
Then  something  strange  was  about  to  happen. 
In  the  shadow  of  the  coming  events,  the  disciples 
stood  bewildered.  There  had  been  a  strange  fas- 
cination about  His  teaching  that  day.  He  swayed 
the  multitudes  as  the  winds  sway  the  forests.  He 
held  their  attention  as  the  sun  holds  the  sun- 
flower, which  from  dawn  to  dark  keeps  its  face 
toward  the  king  of  day.  It  was  evident  that 
Christ  had  come  to  have  His  way ;  and  fisherman 
and  Pharisee  alike  were  to  bow  before  Him. 
Peter  was  the  spokesman,  as  usual  in  after  ex- 
periences, and  his  words  are  worth  a  moment's 
notice.  He  spoke  briefly  and  to  the  point.  Christ 
153 


154       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

had  told  them  to  cast  their  net  on  the  other  side 
of  the  boat,  which  they  were  slow  to  do.  But 
Peter  agreed  on  these  conditions. 

"  Master  we  have  toiled  all  night,  and  caught 
nothing.  What  use  is  there  then  in  any  further 
effort?  Nevertheless  at  Thy  word,  (if  Thou  wilt 
be  responsible),  we  will  let  down  the  net."  So 
they, 

I.  Launch  out  into  the  deep. 

It  was  a  great  picture  of  Himself.  He  had 
first  of  all  come  from  heaven  into  the  depths  of 
this  sinful  world.  In  the  face  of  these  facts  the 
voidest  storms  could  bear  no  comparison  and 
present  no  danger.  He  had  already  met  and  van- 
quished the  worst  forces  of  temptation  and  dis- 
ease. He  had  met  the  devil  in  several  encounters 
and  was  conqueror.  He  had  met  sin,  the  great 
dark  enemy  of  all,  and  it  too  had  suffered  defeat 
at  His  hand. 

No  one  had  yet  launched  out  so  far  as  He  into 
the  deep  dark  mysteries  of  life;  and  when  He 
comes  to  us  with  the  command  to  launch  out,  we 
are  to  know  that  this  is  the  world  wide  cry  of 
progress,  in  all  lines  and  in  all  the  ages;  for  no 
man  who  is  narrow  and  limited,  and  an  inshore 
fisherman  will  go  far  in  any  branch  of  business 
or  Christian  life  to-day. 

It  was  Mr.  Cyrus  Field,  with  an  idea  as  broad 
as  the  ocean,  a  faith  as  deep  as  the  sea,  and  a 


Life's  Venture  155 

perseverance  which  no  storm  or  failure  could  kill, 
who  kept  on  and  on  until  the  Atlantic  Cable  was 
laid  and  man  could  speak  with  man  under  the 
sea.  This  was  literally  launching  out  into  the 
deep,  and  defying  all  things  for  the  sake  of  suc- 
cess. 

They  say  that  a  submarine  telephone  system 
has  just  been  invented  and  that  the  man  who 
completed  this  great  work  toiled  nine  years  to 
embody  his  hope  and  faith  in  the  completed  work. 
What  a  venture  that  was!  Nine  years  in  the 
dark,  without  telling  the  world  about  it!  Nine 
years  in  the  balance  between  success  and  failure, 
between  hope  and  despair!  Nine  years  of  time 
and  money  spent ;  that  is  surely  launching  out  into 
the  deep. 

Here  in  New  York,  several  years  ago,  I  was 
invited  by  two  gentlemen  to  go  into  a  little  room, 
which  was  closely  locked  and  guarded.  That 
room  contained  a  secret  on  which  these  men  were 
spending  much  time  and  labour.  Day  after  day 
and  year  after  year  they  put  their  time,  their 
money,  and  their  best  thought,  into  that  machine. 
It  seemed  to  me  a  hopeless  undertaking.  It  did 
not  seem  possible  that  it  would  pay  for  any  of 
the  time  they  had  given  to  it  and  the  money  it 
had  cost  them.  And  yet  that  has  become  one  of 
the  greatest  inventions  of  the  age.  They  were 
launching  out  into  the  deep;  and  imitating,  in  a 
small  way,  the  Christ  in  His  venture  on  the  Sea 


156       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

of  Galilee,  and  the  example  of  Columbus,  when 
he  set  sail  from  the  old  world  with  the  Pinta, 
Nina,  and  Santa  Maria. 

Why,  this  is  an  age  of  ventures.  It  is  not  much 
use  to  start  in  any  branch  of  business  these  days, 
unless  one  has  a  round  million  of  dollars  or  more. 
It  takes  a  great  deep  ocean,  to  float  the  stock  of 
the  great  trusts  and  corporations.  The  sea  of 
Galilee,  about  twelve  miles  long  by  six  wide,  is 
no  match  for  these  financial  seas  that  flow  round 
and  round  the  world,  shutting  in  the  little  islands 
on  which  man  dwells. 

Since  now  this  advance  movement  in  business 
is  so  widespread,  and  since  there  are  so  many 
great  ventures  in  obedience  to  man's  opening  op- 
portunities, why  should  it  be  thought  strange  that 
Christ  came  to  earth  and  used  this  simple  event 
on  the  Sea  of  Galilee  as  an  example  of  what  we 
may  do,  as  well  as  a  proof  of  that  which  He  has 
already  done?  If  it  is  believed  that  Columbus 
made  his  voyage  to  discover  a  continent,  why 
should  it  be  thought  strange  that  Christ  came 
from  heaven  to  save  men.  Humanly  speaking  it 
was  more  impossible  for  Columbus  to  make  his 
voyage,  than  for  Christ  to  make  His,  into  this 
sinful  world.  The  one  cry  of  all  things  is, 
"  Launch  out  into  the  deep." 

Why  then  should  the  Church  be  the  last  to 
hear  this  command  ?  Why  should  the  world  have 
more  faith  in  its  efforts  than  the  Church  has  in 
its  Leader? 


Life's  Venture  j^j 

Here  is  a  plot  of  ground,  cleared  away  in  our 
city  and  workmen  are  busy  with  plan  and  material. 
Workmen  go  here  and  there  with  all  confidence. 
What  does  it  mean? 

"  They  are  building  a  Church,"  you  say.     But 
look  again  after  a   few  days  have  passed,   and 
you  will  see  that  it  is  not  a  Church,  but  a  great 
business  block;  and  soon  the  name  of  the  firm 
will  be  placed  in  front,  and  business  will  be  car- 
ried on  there  with  all  the  confidence  of  success. 
Here,  a  little  further  over,  is  another  plot  of 
ground.    There  are  also  plan,  material,  and  work- 
men.    But  the  work  goes  slowly  and  stops  alto- 
gether    by    times.      The    venture    is    carefully 
guarded.     And  what  building  is  this?  it  is  not 
a  business  block,  but  if  you  will  wait  for  a  year 
or  two  it  will  be  far  enough  along  for  you  to  see 
that  it  is  a  Church!     Is  it  true  then  that  men 
have  less  faith  in  Church  and  in  religion  than  in 
business  ?     Perhaps  not ;  but  certainly  people  are 
not  usually  so  explicit  and  definite,  and  are  not 
in  so  much  of  a  hurry  about  religion  as  they  are 
about  business.     This  in  the  text  is  an  incident, 
which  has  to  do  with  business,  and  yet  it  was 
altogether  at  the  command  of  Christ.     It  is  the 
lesson  that  the  world  needs  to  learn.    We  are  all 
too  slow  with  our  religious  experience,  and  too 
careless  about  God's  part  in  the  business  schemes 
and  transactions  of  the  daily  life.     If  we  could 
learn,   that   God   controls   the   circumstances   of 
every  business  venture,  as  well  as  the  fish  of  the 


158       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

sea,  we  would  not  only  be  more  reverent,  but 
also  more  successful. 

Men  make  ten  ventures  in  business  to  where 
they  make  one  in  religion,  and  then  only  about 
three  in  ten  make  any  kind  of  a  venture  in  religion 
at  all.    But  you  ask, 

"Is  not  the  business  man  surer  of  success?" 
On  the  other  hand,  those  who  have  carefully 
studied  the  subject  say  that  there  are  about  ten 
failures  in  business  to  one  in  religion.  And  this 
is  as  it  might  be  expected,  for  in  religion  a  man 
has  the  Almighty,  who  guided  the  disciples  on 
the  Sea  of  Galilee,  while  a  man  in  business,  with- 
out the  divine  help,  has  only  his  will,  his  energy, 
and  his  brain  to  depend  upon.  Not  that  busi- 
ness and  religion  are  to  be  separated,  but  rather 
that  they  are  to  unite  in  proper  relation,  that 
they  may  act  in  harmony,  the  centrifugal  and  the 
centripetal  forces,  which  are  to  keep  all  in  poise 
before  God. 

Let  not  therefore  the  tired  and  over  worked 
Peters,  when  commanded  to  go  forward,  rise 
and  say, 

"  It  is  no  use ;  we  have  toiled  and  lost."  There 
is  success  for  everyone  in  temporal  and  in  spiritual 
life,  if  we  only  find  the  right  way. 

It  is  well  that  this  incident  happened  as  it  did, 
or  Christ  would  have  lost  one  of  His  best  oppor- 
tunities, and  the  disciples  would  have  missed  one 
of  the  best  lessons.    As  it  was  they  got  the  fish, 


Life's  Venture  159 

the  lesson,  and  the  Saviour.  If  they  had  been  suc- 
cessful in  catching  the  fish  that  night,  they  would 
have  missed  one  of  the  greatest  moments  of  their 
lives.  Is  it  not  so  that  God  comes  to  us  often  in 
our  misfortunes  and  disappointments,  and  makes 
them  the  happiest  and  best  times  of  our  Hves? 

This  all  happened  in  a  most  unexpected  way. 
They  were  out  in  the  deep  where  they  did  not 
usually  fish,  they  were  all  tired  and  discouraged, 
and  everything  seemed  wrong.  So  Christ  went 
to  a  great  deal  of  trouble,  to  teach  them  that  He 
can  control  all  circumstances  and  conditions  of 
life  in  spite  of  anything. 

So  in  this  seething,  boiling,  almost  frenzied 
business  life  of  to-day,  is  where  the  Church  is  to 
do  her  best  work.  The  question  for  every  Chris- 
tian is, 

"  Am  I  launching  out  into  the  work  as  the 
Master  has  commanded  ?  "  We  wonder  if  there 
will  be  any  to  rise  and  rock  the  boat,  so  as  to 
well  nigh  pitch  all  into  the  sea,  or  will  all  go 
forward,  eagerly  and  with  confidence? 

The  secret  of  all  is  with  our  Captain.  He  is 
with  us  as  He  was  with  the  disciples.  Old  Clem- 
ent of  Alexandria,  out  of  a  rich  experience  said 
of  Him, 

"  Fisher  of  men  the  blest, 
Out  of  the  world's  unrest, 
Out  of  sin's  troubled   sea. 
Take  us  Lord  to  Thee. 


i6o       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

Out  of  the  waves  of  strife, 
With  the  bait  of  a  blissful  life 
Drawing  the  net  to  shore, 
With  choisest  fish  good  store." 

This  is  the  song  of  every  follower  of  Christ 
who  obeys  His  voice  and  launches  out  into  the 
deep. 

II.  Let  down  the  nets  for  a  draught. 

This  experience  of  the  disciples  was  no  mere 
excursion.  It  was  no  pleasure  trip  as  a  relief 
from  the  strain  of  teaching  of  the  day  before. 
It  was  no  mere  fancy  picture  of  the  "  Paipted 
ship  upon  the  painted  ocean."  It  was  a  most 
definite  statement  of  the  nearness  of  divine  life, 
and  what  the  blessings  of  our  life  may  be  if  we 
will  take  His  way.  Christ  is  always  promising 
something  definite.  Life  in  all  forms  is  dear  to 
Him  and  is  assigned  to  its  place.  All  forces  will 
produce  their  results.  The  acorn  can  produce 
only  its  kind,  the  beech  nut  only  the  beech  tree. 

The  first  thing  then  that  God  does,  is  to  answer 
the  cry  of  the  soul.  If  a  man  is  a  fisherman  God 
does  not  expect  him  to  be  a  lawyer,  and  if  he  is 
a  farmer,  He  does  not  expect  him  to  be  changed 
at  once  to  a  mechanic.  Christ's  mission  in  the 
world  is  to  supply  man's  need.  The  thought  in 
the  disciples'  minds  was  that  they  had  caught 
nothing  and  that  they  needed  fish.  And  how 
quickly  He  answers  that  need,  even  before  the 
disciples  asked  Him. 

The  world's  supply  as  well  as  the  soul's  supply 


Life's  Venture  i6i 

is  in  keeping  close  to  Christ,  for  He  is  supreme 
over  all  life.  He  longs  to  answer  the  prayer  of 
every  life,  but  can  not  unless  He  has  the  right  to 
control  all.  It  must  be  remembered  that  the  dis- 
ciples were  obedient  to  Him  at  this  time.  There 
were  plenty  of  other  ships  there,  and  none  of 
them  seem  to  have  been  successful.  All  they  re- 
ceived was  from  the  disciples  who  had  more  than 
they  could  manage.  Then  He  turned  the  lesson 
and  gave  them  the  great  object  of  His  own  great 
life,  and  made  the  disciples  helpers,  when  He 
said,  ''  Ye  shall  catch  men."  This  was  to  be  the 
object  of  their  lives,  an  abiding  interest  in  their 
fellow  men.  A  man  grows  great  according  to 
the  object  toward  which  he  constantly  works,  and 
true  greatness  is  Godlikeness,  for  we  increase  in 
importance  as  we  approach  toward  Him. 

George  Williams,  in  a  warehouse  in  England, 
was  but  little  known  for  a  long  time.  There  was 
not  much  in  the  moving  of  boxes  and  keeping  of 
accounts  to  give  him  fame.  But  he  was  working 
in  another  way.  He  gathered  in  a  little  company 
of  men  and  talked  to  them  of  the  needs  of  the 
kingdom  of  Christ,  and  what  might  be  done  for 
the  human  soul.  So,  little  companies  of  men  were 
organized  far  and  wide  over  the  world,  until  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association  became  a 
great  force  in  the  conversion  of  the  world,  and 
the  object  of  George  Williams  was  then  known; 
for  he  had  launched  out  into  the  deep  and  let 
down  his  net  for  a  draught. 


1 62       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

Carey  was  a  poor  man  and  his  family  needed 
every  cent  he  could  make  at  his  business,  that  of 
cobbling  shoes.  But  his  thoughts  did  not  stop 
with  that  simple  duty,  for  while  at  work  he  had 
time  to  study  and  pray  for  the  great  cause  of 
missions,  until  he  became  one  of  the  great  forces 
in  the  reformation  of  the  world.  Working  to- 
ward this  high  and  noble  object  he  became  truly 
a  fisher  of  men. 

There  has  just  closed  a  wonderful  career  on 
the  other  side  of  the  sea,  that  of  Queen  Victoria. 
It  was  a  life  which  had  in  it  the  strength  of  the 
oak,  and  the  sweetness  and  beauty  of  the  rose. 
For  over  two-thirds  of  a  century  she  stood  the 
test  of  the  ''  White  light  which  falls  upon  a 
throne."  Her  life  has  brought  more  blessings  to 
the  wide  world,  than  that  of  any  other  human 
sovereign,  in  all  history.  If  she  could  have  had 
her  way,  not  a  soldier  would  ever  have  been  killed 
in  war  through  these  sixty-four  years,  not  an 
island  would  have  suffered  oppression,  not  a 
colony  would  have  been  treated  unjustly,  not  one 
South  African  home  would  have  been  despoiled, 
and  not  one  Boer  life  would  have  been  sacrificed. 
Such  lives  come  only  once  in  a  long  time  in  this 
strange  world.  What  is  the  cause  of  this  fame, 
this  power,  this  purity,  this  nobihty?  Go  back 
in  English  history  to  1837,  and  look  at  that  coro- 
nation scene.  Listen  to  that  prayer  of  the  young 
queen  to  the  Almighty,  that  she  might  rule  ac- 
cording to  His  will.     Listen  to  that  vow  to  be 


Life's  Venture  163 

first  of  all  faithful  to  her  God,  then  to  herself, 
and  to  the  people,  and  you  will  have  the  secret 
of  her  greatness.  That  was  the  bud,  this  the  un- 
folding through  the  years  of  this  flower  of  good- 
ness whose  fragrance  was  to  fill  the  whole  earth. 
A  fisher  of  men  was  she  in  the  great  broad  sea 
of  public  life  in  a  world  of  storm  and  tempest. 
All  honour  to  that  great  and  noble  life. 

But  God  does  not  look  alone  to  kings  and 
queens  for  the  reformation  of  the  world.  He 
takes  the  fishermen  from  the  boat  as  He  took 
His  disciples.  He  takes  a  Moses  from  the  obscur- 
ity of  a  desert,  and  makes  him  greater  than  a 
Pharaoh  in  Egypt.  He  takes  a  Paul  from  among 
the  persecutors,  and  makes  him  greater  than  Nero 
upon  his  throne.  He  takes  John  Knox  from 
among  the  galley  slaves,  and  makes  him  greater 
than  the  most  fascinating  queen  of  earth.  He 
takes  Martin  Luther,  the  humble  monk,  and 
makes  him  greater  tlian  the  Pope  at  Rome.  And 
all  this  because  they  went  out  with  him  to  be  fish- 
ers of  men. 

So  in  the  presence  of  Christ  we  stand,  and  at 
His  command  we  humbly  cast  the  net,  and  in  the 
draught  we  shall  draw  multitudes  to  Him,  for 
we  are  fishers  of  men. 

HI.  Enclosed  a  multitude  of  fishes. 

How  quickly  this  story  reaches  its  climax.  It 
requires  several  hundred  pages  m  one  of  our 
modern  novels  to  tell  its  secret.    But  here  a  world 


164       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

wide  and  everlasting  truth  is  told  in  a  little  over 
fifty  words.  This  all  shows  Christ's  divinity.  No 
one  else  has  ever  done  such  a  thing.  Their  nets 
and  their  boats  were  filled  to  their  utmost,  and 
they  realized  that  one  who  was  more  than  human 
was  guiding  the  events  of  that  day. 

So  Christ  stands  supreme  amid  the  mysteries 
of  life,  and  gives  wealth  of  character  and  power 
of  soul.  The  disciples  could  not  understand  the 
events  of  that  morning  until  Christ  had  made  all 
things  plain.  But  they  had  one  excellent  quality, 
that  which  is  indispensable  to  revelation,  that  is 
obedience  to  the  divine  command.  So  there  are 
thousands  of  mysteries  all  around  us;  every  day 
we  have  to  go  on  in  the  dark,  expecting  the  reve- 
lation to  come  to  us  as  it  is  promised.  The  great 
word  of  everyone  who  will  find  the  revelation  of 
God's  mysteries  is, 

"  Nevertheless  at  Thy  word  we  will  let  down 
the  net." 

The  prospect  may  be  very  small,  the  human  im- 
possibility may  be  to  us  very  plain,  and  yet  we 
are  to  go  on  at  His  word.    It  is  He  that  has  said, 

''  If  ye  have  faith  as  a  grain  of  mustard  seed 
ye  shall  say  to  this  mountain,  "  Be  thou  removed, 
and  be  thou  cast  into  the  sea  and  it  shall  be  done." 
It  does  not  say.  If  ye  have  faith  as  a  full  grown 
mustard  tree,  but  as  the  seed,  which  begins  its 
life  under  the  ground  and  out  of  sight,  hidden 
away  from  the  sun  and  air.     It  does  not  say, 

'*  1  must  have  sun  and  light  and  air  before  I 


Life's  Venture  165 

will  begin  to  grow,  therefore  take  away  the 
ground,  take  away  the  ground;  if  you  do  not 
I  will  not  grow."  If  it  were  to  say  and 
demand  that,  and  have  it  granted,  the  light 
and  heat  would  be  too  much  for  its  tender 
life.  And  yet  that  is  what  too  many  de- 
mand. They  say  that  unless  they  can  understand 
all  they  will  not  believe.  That  is  like  the  boy 
who  says  he  will  not  go  to  school  until  he  can 
understand  all  that  he  is  to  learn;  or  like  the 
grain  of  mustard  seed  that  will  not  grow  unless 
it  is  a  tree  before  it  starts.  It  was  the  simple  act 
of  faith  on  the  part  of  the  disciples  that  gave 
them  the  abundance  of  fishes,  such  as  they  wanted. 
It  is  the  simple  act  of  trustfulness  in  our  daily 
toil  that  gives  us  the  blessing  which  can  come  in 
no  other  way.  It  is  the  same  trustfulness  that 
we  see  in  the  sparrows  which  do  not  sow  or  reap 
or  garner  the  harvest,  and  yet  always  have  plenty 
because  the  Heavenly  Father  feedeth  them. 

Christ  stands  now  as  then,  supreme  in  the  world 
of  life.  He  is  more  than  the  mere  Carpenter,  He 
is  the  world  wide  Providence  to  give  to  a  perish- 
ing world  what  is  needed.  He  rose  above  the 
rules  and  laws  of  fishing  on  the  sea  of  Galilee, 
for  He  disregarded  the  conventional  methods, 
and  thereby  showed  that  He  was  Master  of  every 
phase  and  form  of  life.  He  who  made  the  worlds 
with  the  spoken  word,  calling  material  into  being, 
no  one  knows  how ;  He  who  could  make  another 
set  of  worlds  as  easily,  and  have  plenty  of  ma- 


1 66       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

terial  over,  can  He  not  provide  in  the  daily  life 
for  our  few  wants  and  can  He  not  assure  us  of 
the  eternal  reward?  Why  should  man  ever  go 
hungry  for  bread  or  for  opportunities,  or  for 
knowledge  or  for  power,  when  this  same  divine 
One  walks  the  shore  of  every  sea,  and  asks  every 
fisherman  if  he  has  caught  any  thing,  and  if  he 
would  catch  an  abundance?  Why  will  not  the 
world  learn  the  lesson  that  it  is  the  Christian's 
duty  to  feed  the  hungry  instead  of  being  a  beggar  ? 
And  why  will  Christians  not  learn  that  all  abun- 
dance which  is  to  remain  as  a  blessing  is  to  be 
found  in  the  Providence  of  God  ?  As  soon  as  man 
learns  this  he  will,  like  the  disciples  **  enclose  a 
multitude  of  fishes." 


XII 

THE     CHRIST     POWER 

"Whether  this  man  be  a  sinner  or  no  I  know  not, 
but  one  thing  I  know  that  whereas  I  was  blind  now  I 
see." — St.  John  9:  25. 

If  one  accustomed  only  to  the  homely  hut  of 
the  pioneer,  were  to  be  taken  into  the  most  beau- 
tiful earthly  palace,  then  suddenly  to  see  with 
uncovered  eyes  the  surpassing  splendour  of  that 
place,  he  would  have  some  conception  of  the 
strange  experience  of  this  man  who  was  born 
blind  and  suddenly  made  to  see. 

This  is  a  strange  world  even  when  it  opens  to 
us  line  by  line,  page  by  page,  and  volume  by 
volume,  from  childhood  onward.  But  for  a  man 
to  grow  to  maturity  of  life  and  to  fulness  of 
strength  with  eyes  covered,  and  then  suddenly  to 
have  flashed  before  him  in  the  white  light  of  the 
noonday  sun  and  the  clearness  of  perfect  vision 
all  things  beautiful,  was  an  experience  that  the 
angels  might  envy.  In  the  sudden  blaze  of  glory 
this  man  saw  but  one  object  clearly  and  that  was 
the  Christ  who  gave  him  sight.  In  the  palace 
of  the  king  the  guest  sees  not  the  glory  of  the 
palace,  so  much  as  the  commanding  presence  of 
the  king  who  has  invited  him.  The  hand  which 
167 


1 68       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

has  made  the  palace  is  greater  than  the  palace. 
So  Christ  was  to  this  man  the  most  wondrous 
sight. 

The  grass  which  springs  from  the  ground  in 
night  time  can  only  guess  at  the  glory  of  the 
sun  until  the  king  of  day  be  revealed.  The  trav- 
eller, entering  Yellowstone  Park  in  the  twilight, 
can  only  see  in  outline  the  unsurpassed  wonder- 
land that  the  day  will  spread  out  in  all  its  beauty. 

The  blind  man  had  been  guessing  for  perhaps 
twenty  years,  but  now  he  stood  in  the  full  blaze 
of  the  noonday  light  of  the  Sun  of  righteousness. 
Three  things  he  saw  very  clearly,  first  that, 

I.  The  Christ  power  defends. 

No  one  is  so  defenseless  as  a  blind  man.  In  a 
thousand  ways  he  may  suffer  for  need  of  sight. 
The  best  weapon  to  give  him  is  vision.  No  one 
in  the  moral  world  is  so  helpless  as  the  man  who 
is  without  the  truth  of  Christ.  The  best  power 
that  can  be  given  him  is  a  clear  conception  of 
right,  the  unchangeable  truth  of  God.  Four  times 
the  Pharisees  attacked  this  man  and  four  times 
they  went  down  before  the  power  of  Christ  in 
him.  He  was  the  moat  about  the  castle,  the 
portcullis  tightly  closed,  the  Chinese  Wall  around 
the  invincible  city  of  truth.  "  Whether  this  man 
be  a  sinner  or  no  1  know  not,  but  one  thing  I 
know,  that  whereas  I  was  blind  now  I  see." 

Every  man  in  the  world  will  be  tested.  And 
the  only  power  that  can  give  him  successful  de- 


The  Christ  Power  169 

fense  against  all  attacks  is  the  power  of  truth. 
With  this,  ignorant  men  will  be  able  to  stand  firm 
in  the  face  of  the  severest  trials.  With  this  the 
disciples  moved  the  world  with  a  mighty  hand, 
to  the  surprise  of  the  Christian  centuries.  With 
this  Luther  and  Knox  were  able  to  push  the  old 
world  along  new  graves,  cut  by  the  hand  of  Provi- 
dence. It  was  this  same  power  of  God's  truth 
that  led  Luther  to  say, 

"  I  would  go  to  Worms  [the  city  where  he  was 
to  be  tried]  if  there  are  as  many  devils  there  as 
there  are  tiles  on  the  roofs  of  the  houses."  It 
was  this  power  that  compelled  the  haughty  Queen 
of  Scots  to  say  of  John  Knox, 

"  I  fear  him  more  than  I  fear  ten  thousand  of 
the  best  soldiers." 

A  king  once  sent  an  officer  to  arrest  a  seer 
who  had  publicly  reproved  him.  But  when  the 
officer  came  into  the  presence  of  the  prophet,  he 
was  so  impressed  with  his  goodness,  that  he  for- 
got his  commission  from  the  king  and  came  over 
to  the  prophet's  side.  A  second  command  of 
soldiers  was  sent  with  the  same  result.  The  king 
now  very  angry,  started  himself  from  his  palace, 
rushed  out  like  a  maddened  beast  to  find  this 
seer.  But  when  he  came  into  the  presence  of  the 
man  of  God,  he  too,  was  conquered  and  became 
a  suppliant  at  the  feet  of  the  prophet. 

There  is  no  power  that  can  stand  against  the 
truth  of  God,  planted  in  human  character  and 
working  out  into  life.     Around  every  one  thus 


lyo       The  Message  of  To- Morrow 

filled  with  the  power  of  God's  truth,  there  is  a 
protection  against  the  enemy,  as  there  was  a  line 
around  Mt.  Sinai  when  God  was  giving  the  law 
to  Moses;  and  the  command  given  at  that  time 
has  gone  down  the  ages,  that  whosoever  shall 
touch  the  mountain, — the  character  where  God 
dwells — shall  be  stoned  or  thrust  through  with 
a  dart.  God  is  angry  with  every  one  who  assails 
His  truth  as  found  in  the  human  soul.  Man  will 
fail  before  it,  as  the  Pharisees  failed  before  this 
ignorant  man  whom  Christ  healed  of  blindness. 

Now  this  power  of  Christ  in  the  human  soul 
does  not  ask  if  it  may  work.  It  receives  its  au- 
thority and  command  from  God.  It  carries  stores 
of  energy  and  volumes  of  manhood. 

The  sun  does  not  struggle  to  bring  the  grass 
from  the  ground.    The  sun  does  not  call  out: 

*'  O  grass,  O  trees,  come,  come  and  grow  in 
this  way !  "  But  the  king  of  day  sends  forth  his 
power  and  warms  the  earth  to  make  growth  a 
necessity.  So  God  surcharges  us  with  His  might 
and  we  can  not  but  show  forth  His  life. 

Moses  went  up  to  the  mountain  with  form  and 
feature  as  dull  as  any  Israelite.  The  same  Moses 
came  down  God-endowed,  his  face  shining  with 
the  divine  glory,  because  he  represented  God. 

It  is  this  that  makes  the  world  believe  in  you, 
for  this  is  what  keeps  all  things  in  proper  poise 
amid  all  the  changes  in  the  moral  world.  It  is 
like  the  apostle  Peter  whose  shadow,  as  he  passed 
by,  was  sufficient  to  heal  the  sick. 


The  Christ  Power  171 

Like  Christ  on  His  way  to  raise  the  dead,  heals 
one  by  the  way  who  only  touched  the  hem  of  His 
garment,  so  the  greatest  work  we  do  in  the  long 
run  of  time  and  eternity,  is  not  so  much  by  the 
busy  hand  as  by  the  weight  of  moral  character. 

A  Shaftesbury  leaving  Parliament  goes  out  at 
midnight  to  gather  the  waifs  and  strays  from 
under  Waterloo  bridge,  because  the  Saviour  went 
about  doing  good,  and  he  had  learned  the  habit. 
And  when  they  carried  his  body  to  its  last  rest- 
ing place,  the  whole  city  mourned;  and  those 
who  had  been  saved  by  him  raised  their  banners 
bearing  the  inscription, 

"  1  was  hungry  and  naked  and  he  fed  and 
clothed  me." 

A  Gladstone  rising  up  from  the  councils  of  the 
nations  where  he  defended  the  word  of  man,  be- 
came the  mightiest  defender  of  the  Word  of  God. 
So  the  great  defense  of  the  world  to-day  is  the 
power  of  righteous  life  working  in  the  lives  of 
men  as  this  power  of  Christ  worked  in  the  man 
that  was  born  blind. 

H.  The  Christ  power  gives  security. 

This  is  the  law  of  the  spiritual  gravity  by  which 
we  are  held  securely  and  yet  freely  to  the  place 
to  which  we  have  been  assigned  by  Providence. 
If  this  blind  man's  gain  had  been  but  momentary 
it  would  hardly  have  paid  to  give  up  home  and 
friend  and  church.  But  his  gain  was  eternal. 
He  might  lose  all   earthly  things,  but  this  one 


172       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

thing  would  never  pass  away.  Never  could  the 
Pharisees  take  away  this  vision  of  Christ.  He 
had  gone  far  beyond  them.  The  water  that 
rushes  down  the  falls  of  Niagara  can  not  turn 
and  climb  up  again  that  steep  cliff.  It  is  pushed 
on  and  on  out  into  the  lake  and  further  into  the 
sea.  The  rock  that  has  gone  roaring  and  tearing 
down  the  mountain  side  can  never  return  again  to 
its  lofty  home,  but  must  stay  down  there;  for 
a  great  force  holds  the  rock  in  its  relentless  grasp. 

This  man  had  taken  a  new  position  in  the 
world  and  he  had  taken  it  to  stay.  Others  might 
change  but  he  could  not.  He  had  passed  the 
falls  of  his  life,  and  could  never  go  back  again. 
"  One  thing  I  know." 

There  has  in  like  manner  come  into  your  life 
an  experience  which  convinces  you  forever  of 
your  relation  to  your  God.  Some  revelation  has 
come,  some  strange  event  has  happened,  some 
blessing  has  been  granted;  and  you  know  be- 
yond a  doubt  that  God  has  helped  you.  It  may 
have  been  that  you  were  sinking  beneath  the 
waves  of  this  surging  sea  of  adversity,  and  a 
strong  hand  has  taken  hold  of  you,  almost  crush- 
ing you,  and  yet  lifting  you  out  of  danger  and 
into  safety.  That  one  thing  has  brought  abso- 
lute confidence  in  the  affairs  of  God,  and  will  re- 
main forever  as  a  fact.  Life  is  not  like  a  slate 
on  which  we  write  events  only  to  be  erased  at 
pleasure.  As  well  might  you  say  that  a  Euclid 
does  not  keep  in  his  mind  the  principles  of  mathe- 


The  Christ  Power  173 

matics.  As  well  might  you  say  that  a  Sir  Isaac 
Newton  can  erase  from  his  mind  the  knowledge 
of  the  heavenly  bodies,  and  destroy  the  measur- 
ing line  which  goes  out  and  out  into  space. 

'*  One  thing  I  know,"  said  the  man  who  now 
had  experience.  He  did  not  have  a  college  edu- 
cation, he  was  not  a  learned  man,  he  did  not  need 
to  know  a  large  section  of  the  Bible  before  he 
had  certainty  in  life  that  he  was  right.  He  went 
not  by  knowledge,  but  by  creed,  and  his  creed — 
his  belief — was  of  the  power  that  God  had  given 
him.  The  creed  of  the  man  who  is  in  a  wreck 
at  sea  is  that  he  can  swim,  and  he  knows  it.  It 
is  not  a  power  that  he  uses  always,  but  he  has 
it  and  can  use  it  at  any  moment.  It  is  not  the 
power  that  he  can  use  only  on  board  the  ship, 
nor  does  he  need  to  hold  to  the  ship  when  he  is  to 
save  himself.  It  is  the  power  of  independent 
victory. 

Our  creed  like  that  of  the  blind  man,  is  not 
how  we  see,  but  that  we  see,  having  a  power 
which  no  one  can  take  away.  When  one  is 
pushed  away  from  all  his  moorings  as  was  this 
man,  and  made  to  go  alone  or  sink,  he  soon  finds 
how  much  he  knows,  and  if  he  can  endure.  This 
man  stood  upon  a  foundation  which  could  not  be 
cut  away.     "  One  thing  I  know." 

Going  along  Fifty-ninth  street  at  Broadway  a 
few  days  ago,  I  saw  that  the  northeast  corner  of 
the  foundation  of  the  statue  of  Columbus,  had 
been  removed.     There  was  a  great  gaping  hole, 


174       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

and  spanning  it  was  a  heavy  iron  truss  which 
formed  in  part,  the  new  foundation  for  the  statue, 
and  at  the  same  time  the  roof  of  the  underground 
raihoad  which  they  are  now  building.  It  seemed 
typical  of  the  practical  principle  here  in  this  coun- 
try, that  business  will  anyv/here,  and  at  any  time, 
cut  away  the  foundation  from  under  sentiment, 
and  even  religion.  Columbus  would  be  a  lucky 
man  if  he  could  stand  in  life  at  Fifty-ninth  street 
and  Broadway,  and  then  travel  the  country  with 
its  quick  changes  and  be  able  to  say, 

"  This  one  thing  I  know,  that  the  principles  of 
truth  and  right,  of  God  and  the  conscience,  shall 
stand  forever."  The  man  is  a  fortunate  man  who 
has  his  *'  One  thing  I  know,"  so  engraved  upon 
his  soul  that  no  one  can  erase  it.  Man  needs  un- 
changeable faith  in  a  few  things, — in  one  thing — 
that  is  the  never  failing  presence  and  power  of 
God. 

There  is  one  law  in  the  world  which  never 
changes,  which  never  varies  under  the  same  cir- 
cumstances, and  which  man  never  doubts,  and 
that  is  the  law  of  gravity.  In  vain  man  has  tried 
to  go  beyond  its  reach.  He  has  tried  the  balloon 
only  to  suffer  disastrous  results.  He  has  tried 
mountain  climbing,  only  to  find  that  if  his  foot 
slip  on  the  mountain  side,  gravity  hurries  and 
hustles  him  to  the  bottom,  teaching  him  to  say — 

"  One  thing  I  know,"  and  that  is,  *'  whereas  I 
was  up,  now  I  am  down,  and  the  law  of  gravity 
is  secure." 


The  Christ  Power  17  j 

The  man  who  tries  to  go  beyond  the  power  of 
God  will  as  surely  suffer. 

"  One  thing  I  know/'  says  the  man  as  he  stands 
still  amid  the  changing  scenes  of  earth. 

The  child  sees  for  the  first  time  the  light  house 
far  out  in  the  surging  sea.  He  watches  for  a 
while  and  then  asks :  "  Papa  is  that  light-house 
safe." 

"O  yes,"  answers  the  father,  "it  will  stand 
secure." 

The  child  watches  for  a  while,  and  then  ex- 
claims, "  There,  there  papa,  I  see  it  move." 

The  father  smiles  and  says,  "  No,  no,  it  only 
seems  to  move,  because  the  water  all  around  is 
constantly  changing.  If  there  is  one  thing  I 
know,  it  is  that  that  light-house  is  built  right. 
It  is  bolted  and  morticed  and  cemented.  The  most 
certain  thing  in  all  the  world  is  that  it  will  stand." 

There  are  those  who,  like  the  child,  watch  the 
restless  surging  events  around  the  Christian  life 
and  say,  "  There,  there,  see  it  is  a  failure."  Then 
one  stands  forth  as  did  the  blind  man  and  says: 
"  The  most  certain  thing  in  all  the  world  is  my 
security  in  God.  It  is  the  one  thing  I  know  and 
know  well.  Whatever  may  be  the  belief  of  others 
this  one  thing  I  know,  that  I  am  secure  upon  the 
Eternal  Rock  of  Ages." 

"How  firm  a  foundation  ye  saints  of  the  Lord, 
Is  laid  for  your  faith  in  His  excellent  Word; 
What  more  can  He  say  than  to  you  He  hath  said  ? 
You  who  unto  Jesus  for  refuge  hath  fled." 


176       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

III.  The  Christ  power  gives  us  sight. 

"  Now  I  can  see."  It  was  not  an  incident,  it 
was  a  condition;  not  a  flash  of  Hght  upon  his 
eye  and  then  darkness,  but  rather  a  power  of 
seeing,  in  which  there  were  endless  possibiHties 
of  pleasure. 

Conversion,  the  coming  into  the  possession  of 
a  great  new  relation  with  God,  and  into  new 
power,  is  not  an  event  of  a  moment,  but  rather 
a  permanent  condition  before  God.  A  change 
has  come.    Eyes  have  been  opened. 

It  is  a  new  world,  yet  we  are  in  the  same 
world.  It  is  a  new  life,  yet  we  are  in  the  same 
life.    It  is  an  added  power  of  God. 

"  The  fool  hath  said  in  his  heart,  '  there  is  no 
God.* "  And  to  him  it  is  as  though  there  were 
none,  for  he  does  not  see  any.  He  goes  groping 
about  saying. 

''  There  is  no  God,  I  know  there  is  no  God, 
for  I  do  not  see  any.'* 

We  say  of  this  man,  "  Poor  fool,"  if  he  only 
would  see  God  he  would  no  longer  be  a  fool; 
sound  is  not  known  by  deafness,  light  is  not 
known  by  blindness,  wisdom  is  not  known  by 
folly  and  God  is  not  known  by  ignorance. 

The  melody  of  the  song  is  only  half  in  the 
singer's  voice,  and  the  other  half  in  the  listener's 
soul.  To  open  the  life  of  the  soul  to  the  har- 
mony of  God,  and  the  blessings  of  His  constant 
presence,  is  the  mission  of  Christ.  This  is  the 
restoring  of  sight  to  the  soul.    This  is  the  mission 


The  Christ  Power  17^ 

also  of  all  combinations  of  providence.  It  took 
a  long  time  to  bring  this  man  to  the  proper  place, 
so  long  that  those  who  came  to  Christ  laid  it  to 
some  sin  of  his  parents,  or  of  himself. 

"  Master  who  did  sin,  this  man  or  his  parents, 
that  he  was  born  blind  ?  " 

There  are  still  in  the  world  those  foolish  people 
who  think  that  God  is  a  great  avenger,  who 
stands  somewhere  above,  with  a  scourge,  watch- 
ing for  a  chance  to  strike  every  one  who  turns 
one  hair's  breadth  from  the  right.  They  think 
everything  that  does  not  suit  them,  and  does  not 
agree  with  their  plans  is  because  God  hates  them. 
Those  who  think  this  forget  the  mission  and 
words  of  Christ. 

*'  Neither  hath  this  man  sinned  nor  his  parents, 
but  that  the  glory  of  God  might  be  revealed,  and 
this  glory  is  Christ's  helpfulness,  for  He  said: 
"All  power  is  given  unto  Me,  both  in  heaven 
and  on  earth,"  therefore  go  and  teach  all  nations, 
and  help  them  to  the  Christ  life. 

Of  course  suffering  comes  from  sin,  but  not 
all  that  happens  is  punishment  from  God.  A 
misfortune  comes  in  the  family.  An  affliction 
which  medical  skill  can  not  remove.  Blindness, 
lameness,  care  of  an  aged  parent,  the  cutting  off 
of  bright  possibilities  for  the  future;  these  press 
upon  you  and  you  say, 

"What  have  I  done  that  God  should  punish 
me."  Why,  my  friend,  God  is  not  punishing  you. 
He  will  not  do  that  if  He  can  help  it.    God  loves 


lyS       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

you  too  much  for  that.  The  farmer  sees  the 
gathering  clouds  in  the  west,  they  grow  blacker 
and  thicker,  they  lower  and  lower,  the  thunder 
roars  and  the  lightning  flashes,  and  on  comes  the 
storm.  He  looks  upon  it,  and  then  leaving  the 
plow  says :  "  There,  that  storm  is  coming  be- 
cause I  plowed  that  furrow  crooked."  So  we 
miss  it  in  the  spiritual  life.  Of  course  we  suffer 
for  sin,  but  God  does  not  go  round  imposing 
special  punishments.  He  rather  uses  the  circum- 
stances for  our  good  and  His  glory.  By  these 
things  He  drives  us  in  upon  ourselves,  and  we 
learn  that  the  greatest  lesson  next  to  know- 
ing God,  is  to  know  ourselves.  For  if  we  know 
ourselves  we  must  know  God,  and  if  we  know 
God  we  will  know  ourselves. 

The  boy  goes  out  and  in  his  play  is  run  over 
by  the  cars,  and  has  his  leg  broken.  When  he  is 
taken  home  does  his  mother  stand  by  the  door 
with  a  whip  to  scourge  him?  No,  never,  even 
though  he  may  be  to  blame.  He  has  punishment 
enough  in  the  suffering.  Then  the  mother  places 
him  comfortably  in  the  chair  after  the  limb  has 
been  set  and  brings  books  to  him,  and  says, 

"  Now  Harry  you  will  have  time  to  do  some 
reading." 

She  sits  by  him,  talks  to  him,  tells  him  stories 
and  recites  to  him  the  world's  history.  Through 
the  affliction  he  learns  of  his  mother's  goodness 
and  of  himself. 

Blind  Milton  was  thus  driven  in  upon  his  own 


The  Christ  Power  179 

life,  to  study  the  secrets  of  his  own  soul,  and 
hence  produced  the  Paradise  Lost,  and  Paradise 
Regained.  So  afflictions  drive  us  in  upon  our- 
selves, and  we  see  the  beauty  and  grandeur  of  the 
human  soul,  and  the  glory  of  God  is  revealed. 
We  look  above  the  mist  for  the  glory  of  the  sun, 
so  we  look  above  all  earthly  trials  for  the 
heavenly  vision. 

A  traveller  returning  to  England  from  Africa 
was  told  that  he  was  nearing  home,  for  the  peaks 
of  Teneriffe  had  come  in  view.     The  passengers 
were  all  exclaiming: 
"  There,  there  they  are." 
But  he  said. 

"  I  do  not  see  anything." 

They  said,  ''  Look  again."  He  looked,  but  still 
did  not  see,  when  one  glanced  at  his  face  and 
exclaimed : 

"You  are  looking  too  low.  You  must  look 
above  the  clouds  if  you  would  see  the  mountains." 
We,  like  the  blind  man  of  the  text,  like  the 
traveller  from  Africa,  must  look  above  the  dis- 
tractions and  trials  of  earth  if  we  would  see  the 
eternal  glory  of  God. 


XIII 

THE  CROSS  BEARER 

"And  He  bearing  His  cross,  went  forth  to  be  cruci- 
fied/'—5/.  John  19 :  17. 

From  childhood  we  have  been  familiar  with 
the  picture  of  Atlas  bearing  the  world  upon  his 
shoulders.  Even  to  this  fable  the  human  mind 
has  responded  because  there  is  everywhere  the 
need  of  a  saving  and  sustaining  power.  The  full 
realization  of  this  longing  is  found,  not  in  fable, 
but  in  the  reality  of  this  incident  when  Christ 
went  forth  bearing  the  cross,  for  the  sinning,  suf- 
fering world.  It  is  a  sublime  spectacle,  that  of 
the  Almighty,  in  His  Son,  stooping  under  and 
bearing  aloft  the  lowest  symbol  of  deepest  shame. 

I.  Bearing  His  cross. 

That  was  the  decree  of  the  Roman  law,  that 
He  should  bear  His  own  cross,  as  with  every 
one  condemned  to  be  crucified.  The  difference 
came  in  the  fact  that  the  Cross  of  Christ  was  not 
heavy  alone  in  the  weight  of  wood  that  composed 
it,  but  also  in  its  deep  and  abiding  meaning. 
What  made  the  cross  heavy  was  that  the  very 
persons  for  whom  He  was  bearing  this  heavy 
weight  did  not  know  Him,  and  did  not  under- 
180 


The  Cross  Bearer  i8i 

stand  that  He  was  bearing  it  for  them.  One  of 
the  saddest  things  in  all  human  life  is  to  come  to 
the  world  with  a  great  and  noble  purpose  which 
has  cost  you  your  very  life,  and  offer  it  freely, 
and  have  the  very  people  to  whom  you  bring  the 
blessing,  sneer  and  reject  what  would  be  to  their 
everlasting  good. 

You  remember  the  story  of  Rip  Van  Winkle, 
who  went  to  his  native  town  after  his  twenty 
years  of  sleep,  and  how  no  one  knew  him.  He 
talked  to  the  old  friends,  to  his  son  and  daughter, 
and  yet  they  did  not  know  him.  How  his  old 
heart  grieved  under  this  load  of  sorrow. 

You  remember  how  Joseph  in  Egypt  went 
through  slavery  and  prison  for  the  sake  of  his 
father's  family,  and  how,  when  he  stood  before 
his  brothers  to  save  them  from  famine  and  death 
they  would  not  believe  that  he  was  Joseph,  and 
that  he  meant  well.  Nor  would  his  father  believe 
until  special  proof  had  been  furnished.  O  how 
Joseph  longed  to  make  himself  known  to  these 
doubting  brothers,  and  when  they  did  believe, 
what  a  flood  of  tears  washed  away  their  grief. 

So  with  those  who  were  urging  Christ  on  to 
the  place  of  crucifixion,  they  did  not  know  Him. 
They  did  not  know  His  mission,  and  He  felt  He 
had  to  be  patient  with  them. 

The  question  comes  to  us  to-day,  "  How  truly 
do  we  know  Christ  in  the  scenes  of  our  daily 
hfe?"  How  much  are  we  forcing  Him  to  bear, 
of  all  the  weight  of  woe  and  care  that  fills  the 


1 82       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

world.  There  was  not  at  that  time  one  hand  to 
relieve  the  weight  of  the  cross.  All  forsook  Him 
and  fled,  and  He  stumbled  on  until  He  fell  under 
the  load,  and  Simon  of  Cyrene  was  forced  to- 
carry  it  for  Him. 

We  look  into  the  churches  these  Sabbath  morn- 
ings and  see  that  the  singing  is  mostly  done  in  a 
careless,  heartless  way,  men  and  women  coming 
in  many  instances,  out  of  curiosity,  as  did  the 
great  throng  which  followed  Christ  when  He  went 
to  be  crucified,  and  we  are  constrained  to  say,  He 
is  still  bearing  His  own  cross.  We  look  in  upon 
the  Sabbath  evening  gatherings  of  our  churches 
and  see  the  pews  vacant,  in  too  many  cases,  and 
must  say,  surely  Christ  is  bearing  His  own  cross 
without  any  help,  right  in  the  midst  of  those 
whom  He  is  helping.  We  look  at  the  daily  life 
of  professing  Christians  and  see  the  indifference 
to  the  eternal  truth  by  which  God  manages  the 
world,  and  we  say  again,  surely  He  is  bearing 
the  cross  alone  to-day,  as  on  that  memorable  day 
eighteen  hundred  years  ago.  See !  there  He  goes 
alone!  Even  those.  His  disciples,  have  forsaken 
Him.  Why  should  He  not  fall  under  His  burden  ? 
Look  at  this  picture.  Look  long  and  intently 
until  you  see  yourself  if  you  are  there  in  that 
throng  that  is  forsaking  Him  and  letting  Him 
bear  His  own  Cross ;  look  until  you  see  that  noth- 
ing short  of  a  heroic  Christian  life  will  do;  look 
until  you  are  willing  to  rush  forward  and  take 


The  Cross  Bearer  183 

hold  of  this  great  cross  of  the  world  to  help  re- 
lieve that  One  who  deserves  never  to  bear  it. 
Do  you  not  know  that   it  is  the   Christ  who 
•  suffers  because  there  is  so  little  done  for  Him  and 
because  we  know  so  little  of  His  mission  ?    To  do 
and  do  for  a  boy  in  the  family ;  to  get  him  out  of 
trouble  again  and  again ;  to  feed  and  clothe  him ; 
to  follow  him  when  he  goes    into    evil    places, 
though  he  knows  not  that  the  father  is  near,  and 
to  protect   him   from   various   dangers   at  great 
cost,  while  all  the  time  he  spurns  the  parental 
care,— is  that  not  hard  for  a  father?     Do  you 
think  that  this  is  not  a  heavy  cross?     And  yet 
what  father  is  there  who  will  not  bear  all  this 
and  even  more  if  only  that  boy  may  be  at  last 
saved?     Now  you  know  why  so  many  men  in 
middle  life  and  old  age,  are  stooped  and  broken 
in  spirit.     They  are  bearing  the  crosses  of  their 
sons  and  daughters.     Now  you  know  why  Sab- 
bath school  teachers  and  ministers  of  the  gospel 
look  so  careworn.     It  is  not  so  much  hard  work 
as  the  heavy  weight  of  care  as  they  try  to  bear 
the  burdens  of  their  people. 

There  was  once  a  beautiful  girl,  it  is  said,  who 
was  brought  from  her  pure  country  home,  and 
subjected  to  a  life  of  shame  in  this  great  city. 
Her  mother  spent  all  her  life,  all  her  time  and 
nearly  all  her  money  hunting  for  her.  When  the 
mother  would  come  near  to  where  she  was  the  girl 
would  hurry  on  to  some  other  place.    At  last  in 


184       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

despair  she  went  to  a  detective  and  told  her  story. 
He  said  to  her,  "  I  will  find  your  daughter."  He 
told  her  to  have  her  picture  taken  and  have  a 
large  number  printed  for  him  to  use.  He  took 
these  photographs  and  wrote  on  them  beneath 
the  sad  face  the  two  words,  ''  Come  Home."  Then 
he  placed  them  upon  the  wall  of  every  resort  where 
he  thought  the  girl  would  go.  Soon  she  came 
into  one  of  these  places,  and  looking  upon  the  face 
of  her  mother  was  filled  with  remorse.  That  sad 
face  said  to  her,  "  Do  you  suffer  ?  I  suffer  more 
for  you.  I  bear  the  heavy  cross,  come  home." 
Then  she  found  her  way  to  her  mother's  home 
and  to  her  mother's  never  changing  love. 

Here  we  see  in  faint  outline  the  picture  of  Him 
who  has  borne  the  cross  far  over  the  world,  who 
bears  it  to-day  for  us,  and  whose  face  may  be 
seen  everywhere  and  who  says  though  He  may 
be  sinking  under  the  weight  of  sorrow, — "  Come 
Home." 

II.  Went  forth. 

In  all  the  old  pictures  of  Atlas  with  the  world 
upon  his  shoulders,  he  has  be^n  standing  still. 
Here  we  have  it  said  that  Christ  bearing  His  cross 
went  forth.  What  else  could  he  do?  He  was 
bound  and  led  by  the  soldiers,  the  power  of  the 
Roman  Empire  was  over  Him,  the  Jews  were 
against  Him,  His  own  disciples  had  forsaken 
Him,  and  urged  on  by  the  mob  He  must  go  for- 
ward. 


The  Cross  Bearer  185 

But  look  again  and  you  will  see  that  He  went 
forth  in  a  little  different  way  from  that  which  was 
usual.  Of  the  other  two  who  were  crucified,  it 
is  said  they  were  led  forth  to  be  crucified ;  but  of 
Christ,  He  went  forth.  He  went  of  His  own 
free  will.  He  could  have  resisted  them  and  they 
must  have  fled.  He  could  have  spoken  and  they 
must  have  vanished.  He  could  have  blown  them 
from  His  presence  as  by  a  single  breath ;  but  He 
did  not.  It  is  evident  then  that  He  had  some 
great  object  which  reached  far  beyond  the  mo- 
ment and  far  beyond  a  life  of  negative  ease.  Be- 
fore Him  duty  rose  like  the  great  line  of  hills 
which  He  was  to  climb,  but  in  the  climbing  He 
should  have  joy  and  happiness.  Far  beyond  the 
line  of  duty  lay  the  place  of  victory,  though  hard 
to  reach  yet  worth  attaining.  Hence  He  went 
forth  bearing  His  cross. 

If  we  were  born  perfect  in  every  way,  we  would 
not  need  the  discipline  of  cross  bearing.  But  we 
are  quite  imperfect.  We  must  come  to  the  nobler 
and  better  life  by  the  rough  road  which  stretches 
out  toward  some  Calvary.  To  grow  strong  of 
hand  or  of  limb  there  must  be  the  exercise  of 
those  parts  till  the  very  discipline  becomes  our 
excellence.  And  when  a  man  would  have  his 
faith  strengthened  he  must  have  a  training  with 
God  as  his  leader  and  teacher. 

There  are  children  who  suffer  and  suffer  when 
they  are  small.  Sharp  pains  shoot  through  the 
arms,  limbs  and  whole  body.    A  physician  is  called 


1 86       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

and  he  says  that  there  is  no  danger  for  these  are 
only  growing  pains.  Life  is  advancing  so  rapidly 
and  expanding  so  fast  that  it  becomes  in  a  sense 
cross  bearing.  So  there  is  this  growing  and  ex- 
panding in  the  Christian  life  which  we  often  think 
is  hard  and  against  which  we  cry  out  in  pain. 
It  is  to  aid  us  in  this  that  the  Son  of  God  has 
come,  bearing  His  cross  first  as  a  sacrifice  and  then 
as  the  eternal  presence,  almighty  in  power.  The 
more  we  know  of  Him  the  greater  He  becomes  to 
us  and  the  more  helpful. 

Your  mother  was  never  so  great  as  since  she 
went  to  her  heavenly  home.  You  never  heard  her 
voice  so  really  as  now.  You  never  before  so 
enjoyed  the  evening  songs  of  childhood  which  are 
sweeter  than  the  songs  of  the  angels.  There,  you 
can  see  her  now,  early  in  the  morning  or  late  in 
the  evening  bearing  the  cross  of  the  family,  yet 
joyous  and  happy.  You  are  just  now  learning  to 
know  her.  She  is  growing  dearer  all  the  time, 
and  it  gives  you  faith  and  hope.  So  when  we  see 
Christ  going  forth  in  the  midst  of  all  these  try- 
ing scenes,  never  faltering,  never  turning  back, 
we  take  courage  and  go  on.  Who  is  there  that 
will  now  stop  at  a  hard  thing  ?  Who  is  there  that 
will  cry  out  against  the  human  cross  bearing  which 
makes  us  more  like  Christ?     Who  will  not  say, 

"  Jesus  I  may  cross  have  taken 
All  to  leave  and  follow  Thee, 
Naked,  poor,  despised  forsaken, 
Thou  from  hence  my  all  shall  be  !  " 

For  "  He  went  forth  bearing  His  cross." 


The  Cross  Bearer  187 

III.   To  BE  CRUCIFIED. 

Was  there  no  help  for  this  man  who  had  never 
sinned?  Must  He  be  crucified?  Yes  He  must. 
Old  Atlas,  according  to  the  fable,  continues  for- 
ever to  hold  the  world  upon  his  shoulders,  or  all 
will  go  to  ruin.  "  To  be  crucified,"  was  Christ's 
way  of  sustaining  the  spiritual  world. 

Man's  natural  impulse  is  to  avoid  sufifering.  If 
a  certain  course  is  likely  to  bring  anxiety  and 
worry,  we  will  take  the  other  road.  If  there  be 
rocks  beneath  the  waves,  we  place  there  a  buoy 
and  it  is  well  that  we  do,  for  unnecessary  suffer- 
ing is  opposed  to  reason  and  revelation.  But 
there  is  One  who  goes  forth  in  the  worst  suffering 
known  to  man  with  a  firm  intention  to  bear  all 
that  is  to  be  borne.  This  had  to  be  done  by  some- 
one, for  the  Old  Testament  and  weak  frail  hu- 
man nature  are  both  written  full  of  the  need  of  a 
sacrifice.  There  was  a  justice  to  be  satisfied,  and 
more  than  this,  passing  life  had  to  be  saved.  Where 
there  is  a  rent  in  a  garment  it  must  be  mended, 
where  there  is  a  gorge  in  the  mountain  it  must 
be  bridged,  where  there  is  a  chasm  between  peo- 
ple, as  between  the  North  and  the  South  in  1861, 
it  must  be  filled  if  need  be  by  the  lives  of  men. 
He  who  went  forth  to  be  crucified  saw  in  His  own 
great  act  the  rescue  of  the  millions  from  evil  con- 
ditions and  the  power  of  sin.  Their  danger  was 
to  Him  very  plain.  The  course  of  life  thus  repre- 
sented to  Him,  was  greater  than  the  mere  preser- 
vation of  His  own  physical  life  from  suffernig 
and  sorrow. 


i88       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

There  is  the  fireman  who  sees  the  child  in  the 
burning  building  and  without  consulting  his  own 
comfort  and  knowing  that  he  may  suffer  the  ter- 
rible agonies  of  death  by  fire,  rushes  forward 
to  save  the  one  in  danger.  It  is  the  sacrifice,  the 
giving  up  of  one's  self  to  take  the  place  of  an- 
other. That  is  the  meaning  of  this  great  act  of 
Christ. 

For  a  mother  who  loves  her  child  intensely  it  is 
far  harder  to  see  her  child  suffer  than  to  bear  the 
pain  herself,  and  there  is  not  a  true  mother  any- 
where who  would  not  if  she  could,  take  the  af- 
fliction from  the  child  and  bear  it  herself.  Now 
this  is  the  case  with  Christ  who  goes  forth  to  be 
crucified  in  your  place  and  mine  if  we  accept  Him 
as  our  vicarious  sacrifice.  As  soon  as  man  sinned 
in  Eden,  God  began  to  work  for  his  recovery. 
At  once  a  Saviour  was  promised  and  through  the 
ages,  until  His  coming,  every  breath  of  heaven 
has  brought  to  man  the  same  great  news.  For  a 
time  God  was  willing  that  animals  in  sacrifice 
should  typify  the  sacrifice  of  His  Son. 

He  had  to  come  not  only  as  a  sacrifice,  but  also 
to  sanctify  righteous  suffering,  for  the  world, 
in  the  simplest  things  of  daily  life,  is  redeemed 
by  pain.  We  suffer  for  one  another,  we  bear  the 
pang  of  disappointment  because  another  is  suc- 
cessful, we  buy  our  food  with  our  daily  toil,  we 
secure  a  Christian  character  at  the  cost  of  con- 
stant watchfulness.  When  Ananias  was  told  to 
go  to  Saul   (Paul)   to  give  him  sight,  after  he 


The  Cross  Bearer  189 

had  had  the  vision  on  the  way  to  Damascus,  God 
said  to  him, 

"  Show  him  how  great  things  he  must  suffer 
for  My  name's  sake."  And  yet  this  suffering  of 
Paul  became  to  him  a  pleasure,  for  he  received 
so  great  a  reward.  God  always  pays  well  for  all 
that  is  done  for  Him. 

If  we  could  fully  understand  the  meaning  of 
this  great  act  of  Christ  there  would  be  in  every 
heart  such  a  purpose  as  actuated  Paul  when  he 
said, 

"  Woe  is  me  if  I  preach  not  the  Gospel,"  and 
such  as  filled  the  heart  of  Whitefield  when  he 
regarded  the  saving  of  souls  as  the  supreme  act 
of  human  life,  and  of  Savonarola  who  was  willing 
to  give  his  own  life  for  a  great  cause  which  needed 
defense,  and  of  Moody  whose  life  was  one  long 
plea  before  God,  for  the  redemption  of  the  world. 

Who  can  look  upon  Christ  as  he  goes  forth  to 
be  crucified  without  saying,  "  He  is  going  to  that 
awful  death  for  me  ?  " 

This  must  make  life's  trials  easier  to  bear.  As 
Christ  went  forth  to  be  crucified  for  us,  so  every 
act  of  man  is  in  some  sense  a  help  to  others.  All 
things  are  so  bound  together,  and  all  the  world 
is  so  sensitive  that  somewhere  and  somehow  every 
act  must  have  its  effect.  A  boy  aided  with  a  few 
spare  dollars  finds  his  way  into  the  ministry,  and 
becomes  a  great  power  for  righteousness ;  and  the 
small  investment  has  brought  to  the  world  a 
blessing  of  untold  value.    An  act  of  kindness  or 


ipo       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

a  word  of  good  cheer,  was  to  the  discouraged 
the  turning  point  and  has  brought  a  rich  blessing 
to  humanity.  And  Christ  went  forth  to  be  cruci- 
fied that  these  streams  of  righteousness  might 
be  made  to  flow  out  into  the  sinful  world.  You 
and  I  pass  by  Calvary  with  only  the  knowledge 
of  the  suffering  of  Christ  because  ''  He  bore  our 
sins  and  carried  our  sorrows,  in  His  body  on  the 
tree." 

"  Can  this  be  He  who  want  to  stray, 
A  pilgrim  on  the  world's  highway, 
Oppressed  by  power  and  mocked  by  pride 
The  Nazarene,  the  crucified?" 

Yes,  this  is  He,  for  "  He  went  forth  to  be 
crucified." 

Then  Christ  went  forth  to  be  crucified,  so  as 
to  establish  an  eternal  cause.  Not  only  did  He 
die  for  the  individual  but  also  for  the  great  cause 
which  is  to  win  the  world  to  Himself.  The  cross 
of  Christ  has  become  the  banner  of  the  great 
marching  host  of  God.     Paul  said, 

"  For  the  preaching  of  the  cross  is  to  them  that 
perish,  foolishness ;  but  unto  us  which  are  saved 
it  is  the  power  of  God." 

In  any  warfare  the  banner  must  not  suffer. 
Men  will  risk  anything  for  the  symbol  of  victory. 
In  a  battle  in  the  war  of  rebellion,  in  this  coun- 
try, a  standard  bearer  was  shot  and  the  banner 
was  falling  to  the  ground  when  a  comrade  sprang 
forward,  caught  up  the  colours,  rushed  on  to  the 


The  Cross  Bearer  191 

front,  in  the  fiercest  firing  of  the  enemy,  and 
saved  the  day,  because  the  soldiers  followed  after 
him  to  victory. 

So  the  great  Captain  and  standard  bearer  of 
our  salvation  pressed  on  to  Calvary  with  the 
standard  which  is  to  rule  the  world  and  bring  all 
to  the  throne  of  God,  for  Christ  went  forth  bear- 
ing His  cross,  to  be  crucified. 


XIV 

god's  revelation  of  good  and  three  ways  of 
gaining  it 

**  He  hath  showed  thee  O  man  what  is  good." — Micah 
6:8. 

Then  goodness  is  not  manufactured,  made  by 
hand,  put  up  in  packages  and  sold  as  an  article 
of  commerce.  It  does  not  come  from  the  human 
workshop,  nor  is  it  discovered  by  man  haphazard, 
after  long  and  diligent  searching.  But  it  is  dis- 
covered, uncovered,  revealed,  by  God  Himself,  for 
"  He  hath  showed  thee  O  man  what  is  good.'* 

If  a  man  is  seeking  gold,  he  wants  to  know 
where  the  gold  fields  are.  If  fame  is  his  object, 
he  wishes  to  know  where  it  may  be  found.  If 
he  is  searching  for  power,  he  wants  to  come  into 
connection  with  the  dynamo  of  the  world.  If  he 
is  seeking  good  (and  all  men  should  seek  that), 
then  he  must  know  that  its  source  is  in  God. 

But  it  has  its  issue  in  man,  as  the  curse  of  Eden 
is  produced  and  power  revealed  in  verdure  and 
plants  and  flowers  of  earth. 

These  effects  are  mentioned  in  the  text  and 
are  three  in  number. 

**  And  what  doth  the  Lord  require  of  thee," 
asks  the  text,  ''  but  to  do  justly,  love  mercy  and 
192 


God's  Revelation  of  Good         193 

to  walk  humbly  before  thy  God."  What  more 
does  God  require  of  any  man?  Nothing  more. 
If  thou  dost  fulfill  these;  thy  relation  to  thy  fel- 
low men,  thy  relation  to  thyself,  thy  relation  to 
thy  God;  thou  wilt  have  the  highest  good.  This 
is  the  full  round  of  the  Christian  life  for  joy  and 
happiness  and  triumph. 

I.   Do  JUSTLY. 

One  would  think  this  very  easy  in  this  land 
where  the  courts  are  established,  and  in  almost 
constant  session  from  the  Supreme  court  down  to 
those  of  the  states  and  cities  and  counties  and 
townships;  where  every  store  has  its  scales,  and 
where  the  yard  stick  is  on  every  counter  and  is 
almost  as  common  an  article  as  the  broom  which 
sweeps  our  floors.  Doing  justly  would  seem  easy 
in  a  land  where  the  ten  commandments  are  written 
upon  every  memory  and  the  effects  of  the  keep- 
ing or  breaking  of  them  make  up  the  sum  total 
of  our  daily  newspaper,  from  caption  to  conclu- 
sion. 

But  even  here  we  have  to  be  constantly  re- 
minded that  for  every  act  of  justice  or  injustice 
in  the  courts  or  in  the  country,  there  is  a  court 
in  session  up  above,  before  which  this  act  will 
come  for  review ;  that  for  every  earthly  scale  that 
weighs  anything,  even  so  small  as  the  widow's 
mite,  there  is  another  scale  upon  which  it  must 
go ;  for  every  yard  stick  there  is  a  line  to  which 
all  must  be  compared  and  by  which  all  must  be 


194       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

corrected ;  and  for  every  interpretation  of  the  ten 
commandments  there  is  an  eternal  and  unchange- 
able standard  in  the  hand  of  God. 

But  this  refers  to  more  than  mere  commercial 
transactions,  even  to  the  weighing  of  evidence  of 
every  life.  There  is  only  one  tribunal  that  I 
know  of  where  premature  decisions  are  rendered, 
where  on  suspicion  a  man  is  judged  when  there 
has  not  been  furnished  the  slightest  evidence,  and 
that  tribunal  is  the  human  heart. 

If  even  the  very  best  people  were  hanged  every 
time  someone  misjudges  them,  saying,  "  he  is 
guilty  of  so  and  so,"  when  he  may  be  as  innocent 
as  a  child  of  anything  of  the  kind,  the  world  would 
be  depopulated  in  an  hour.  In  some  of  the  old 
world  countries  the  homes  of  people,  and  hence 
their  lives  are  surrounded  by  high  walls  so  that 
neither  the  robber  of  money  or  of  character  can 
get  in.  But  here  in  this  country  our  homes  are 
placed  right  out  by  the  highway  and  men  as  they 
go  by  can  look  in,  and  they  do  look  in,  but  they 
see  poorly  and  hence  they  go  away  and  say  they 
saw  so  and  so,  when  they  did  not.  Many  of  the 
spectators  did  not  have  their  glasses  on  and  hence 
they  do  great  injustice  to  the  person  of  whom  they 
speak. 

To  all  such  this  text  thunders  *"'  do  justly/'  or 
do  nothing  at  all. 

Unjust  judgments  lead  to  unjust  actions  and 
hence  the  world  becomes  one  of  strife  rather  than 
of  peace.     Shall  the  consumptive  take  delight  in 


God's  Revelation  of  Good  195 

hearing  that  a  neighbour  has  cancer  and  has  had 
to  go  to  the  hospital  for  treatment,  and  shall  he 
go  about  telling  what  he  has  heard?     Does   it 
make  him  any  better  that  the  other  man  is  sick? 
Shall  the  man  with  the  broken  arm  be  glad  when 
he  learns  that  another  man  has  a  broken  limb, 
and  shall  he  write  to  his  friend  and  say,  "  My 
broken  arm  is   now  mending   fast  because   Mr. 
Jones  has  broken  his  limb  ?  "    No,  no,  never ;  and 
yet  there  are  scenes  and  incidents  like  that  every- 
where in  this  world  of  social  disease.     But  the 
strangest  part  is  that   Mr.   Consumptive  has   a 
relapse  when  he  hears  that  it  was  a  false  report 
about  his  neighbour  having  cancer,  and  a  dover's 
powder  has   to  be   given  to   the  man   with   the 
broken  arm  and  an  extra  hitch  to  the  bandages 
when  he  learns  that  Mr.  Jones  did  not  break  his 
limb  at  all.     Some  people  have  as  their  medicine 
for  their  own  diseased  minds  the  injustice  they 
do  to  innocent  humanity.    The  injustices  that  pass 
over  the  tongue  are  legion  when  compared  with 
those  that  pass  over  the  counter. 

To  all  such  there  rings  out  of  the  heavens  these 
words  of  God, 

"  Dost  thou  know  O  man,  what  God  requires 
of  thee,  [requires,  demands,  will  have],  that 
thou  shalt  do  justly.'  God  requires  that  we  shall 
do  justly,  for  He  has  provided  every  facility  for 
it  even  down  to  the  penny  weighing  machines 
that  stand  in  our  stations,  for  even  in  this  there 
is  an  idea  back  of  the  mercenary  thought— that  is 


196       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

that  they  shall  settle  the  disputes  that  arise  along 
the  way.  O  if  men  would  only  do  justly  by  one 
another,  life  would  break  forth  with  joy  every- 
where, poverty  would  flee  before  the  oncoming 
provision  of  God,  as  a  disease  flees  before  the 
cure ;  personal  character  would  shine  forth  as  the 
brightness  of  the  sun;  Eden  would  again  be 
established  and  heaven  would  be  begun  on  earth. 
O  man,  will  you  by  careful  life — by  doing 
justly,  help  to  usher  in  this  blessed  time? 

11.  Love  mercy.    But  we  are  also  to  love  mercy. 

There  are  violins  so  perfect,  that  whenever  the 
bow  is  drawn  across  the  string,  they  will  sing 
a  perfect  song.  You  cannot  make  them  send  out 
a  harsh  sound.  The  harmony  of  parts,  the  per- 
fection of  the  construction,  the  vibratory  power 
of  every  part  are  all  perfect.  It  is  the  violin's 
nature  so  to  sing. 

This  describes  what  God  wishes  of  every  one. 
To  love  mercy  is  to  live  it  until  you  can  live  noth- 
ing else  and  can  tell  nothing  else.  The  nature 
and  news  of  life  should  be  the  same,  like  that  of 
olden  days  when  the  bearer  of  good  tidings  was 
considered  the  author  of  the  same,  and  the  herald 
of  happiness  was  the  guest  of  royalty.  Mercy 
then  must  enter  into  life  and  fill  every  part  of 
one's  nature,  such  mercy  as  would  not  harm 
a  worm  or  injure  a  bird;  such  mercy  as  will 
bear  the  injustice  rather  than  inflict  it  upon  an- 
other, such  mercy  as  we  see  in  the  Christ  of  all 


God*s  Revelation  of  Good  197 

mercy  and  grace.  Mercy  is  the  doing  kindly  even 
in  spite  of  justice ;  satisfying  the  demands  of  jus- 
tice without  receiving  adequate  pay. 

The  secret  of  this  is  sacrifice ;  giving  up,  doing 
for  another,  bearing  and  enduring  for  the  sake 
of  the  one  to  be  helped. 

Yes  Mercy  rules  the  world  from  man  down. 
Begin  with  ourselves.  The  best  illustration  per- 
haps is  in  the  brain. 

Physiological  Psychologists  tell  us  that  the 
brain  is  composed  of  over  300,000,000  nerve  cells. 
At  a  dollar  apiece  they  would  about  pay  the 
Spanish  war  debt.  But  I  do  not  know  any  one 
who  would  sell  so  cheaply.  Now  the  average  life 
of  each  nerve  cell  in  the  brain  is  about  60  days. 
Then  5,000,000  die  every  day,  208,000  every  hour 
and  3,500  every  minute  to  be  succeeded  by  a  like 
number  of  their  race.  As  the  death  of  these  nerve 
cells  is  considerably  hastened  by  action  and  ten- 
sion, while  I  speak  to  you  to-night  about  300,000 
nerve  cells  die  and  as  many  more  are  born,  and 
over  a  million  deaths  were  necessary  for  the  pro- 
duction of  this  sermon.  Great  sacrifice;  and  yet 
my  brain  does  not  complain.  It  gets  nothing  but 
a  little  nourishment  and  some  pleasure  by  the  way. 
It  is  its  nature  to  do  that,  and  the  mercy  of  its 
action  rules ;  and  in  this  sense  it  loves  mercy. 

No  one  can  properly  appreciate  his  brain  till 
he  knows  the  sacrifices  it  makes  for  him.  No 
one  can  understand  the  value  of  our  liberty  till 
he  goes  through  the  hardships  of  the   Pilgrim 


198       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

Fathers  landing  on  the  rock-bound  coast  of  New 
England  and  living  in  snow  of  winter  and  frost 
of  spring  because  they  loved  mercy. 

No  one  can  appreciate  manhood  till  he  learns 
what  trials  his  mother  endured,  what  hardships 
were  borne  and  how  the  very  life  of  the  parents 
was  laid  down  for  the  success  of  the  boy.  Yes 
mercy  comes  to  be  the  world  power  because  it 
has  its  highest  example  in  a  world  Saviour. 

When  the  Southern  army  surrendered  to  Gen- 
eral Grant  in  1865,  the  natural  course  would  have 
been  to  punish  them  or  at  least  to  put  them 
under  restraint.  But  instead  of  that  they  were 
treated  as  brothers.  They  were  told  to  keep  their 
horses  and  wagons,  to  go  home  and  till  their 
farms.  They  were  also  helped  to  get  a  start  again 
upon  the  land  which  had  been  overrun  by  the 
soldiers  during  the  war.  A  whole  army  merci- 
fully treated.  Why  was  that?  Whether  men 
know  it  or  not  it  was  the  fulfilment  of  that  beati- 
tude, "  Blessed  are  the  merciful  for  they  shall 
obtain  mercy."  At  once,  our  nation  became  fam- 
ous, and  in  a  number  of  instances  of  international 
questions  we  have  ruled  the  world,  for  this  is  the 
province  of  mercy. 

During  the  war  of  secession  as  a  battle  raged 
hotly  a  young  man  ran  away  from  his  post.  He 
was  arrested  and  tried  and  sentenced  to  be  shot 
for  desertion,  though  he  was  little  more  than  a 
boy.  His  mother  soon  heard  of  the  danger  of 
her  son  and  hurried  to  Washington  to  see  Presi- 


God's  Revelation  of  Good  199 

dent  Lincoln.  She  had  heard,  which  was  true, 
that  he  never  failed  to  pardon  when  he  had  the 
claims  of  a  case  presented.  She  reached  the 
White  House,  when  one  of  the  most  important 
cabmet  meetings  was  in  session  and  when  the 
nation  seemed  to  hang  as  by  a  thread,  which 
might  be  snapped  at  any  moment. 

Before  going  into  the  cabinet  meeting  the 
President  told  his  secretary  as  usual  not  to  call 
him  except  on  one  condition.  He  said,  ^' keep 
senators  or  congressmen  or  any  one  else  waiting, 
but  if  any  one  comes  for  a  pardon  for  a  soldier 
condemned  to  be  shot,  call  me.'' 

The  mother  arrived  and  word  was  sent  to  the 
President.  Mr.  Lincoln  stopped  the  business, 
saymg,  ''gentlemen,  this  business  will  have  to 
wait— it  is  a  case  of  life  and  death."  And  the 
cabinet  did  wait  and  the  nation  waited  till  Mr. 
Lincoln  went  out  to  see  the  mother,  pardoned  her 
boy  and  the  news  in  a  few  moments  flew  over  the 
wires  and  the  boy  was  saved. 

When  the  President  returned  he  told  the  cabi- 
net what  he  had  done  and  said,  ''  I  always  think 
of  those  words  of  scripture,  '  Inasmuch  as  ye  have 
done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these  ye  have 
done  it  unto  Me.'  "  And  He  who  never  refused 
a  pardon  when  it  was  worthy,  ruled  the  dissevered 
nation  and  brought  the  two  parts  together  in  har- 
mony. Yes  he  loved  mercy  and  hence  the  whole 
world  loved  him. 

One   day  young  Wendell   Phillips   sat   in   his 


200       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

office  in  Boston  and  heard  a  strange  noise  in  the 
street.  On  looking  out  he  saw  a  great  mob  gath- 
ering around  WilHam  Lloyd  Garrison,  kicking 
and  beating  him  and  dragging  him  about  because 
he  wanted  slavery  driven  from  the  land.  All  night 
long  Phillips  lay  awake  and  burning  with  a  fever 
that  this  man  who  loved  liberty  should  have  been 
mobbed  in  the  very  city  where  England's  tea  as 
well  as  her  tyranny  were  destroyed.  All  night 
there  stood  before  him  the  slave,  all  beaten  and 
scarred  and  hated,  and  beside  him  stood  in  deep- 
est pity  that  One  whose  hands  and  feet  had  been 
pierced  with  the  cruel  nails  on  Calvary  and  the 
voice  of  that  One  whispered  to  him,  "  Inasmuch 
as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  these 
ye  have  done  it  unto  Me." 

Then  he  rose  up  in  the  strength  of  a  renewed 
manhood.  Henceforth  he  should  not  seek  any 
longer  honour,  or  power,  or  fame,  but  his  should 
be  a  life  of  sacrifice  for  the  needy.  And  there 
was  then  born  in  him  the  love  of  mercy,  which 
made  him  a  vastly  greater  man  than  earth  could 
produce,  without  the  vision  of  the  Christ,  the  one 
who  came  to  bring  the  highest  mercy  of  God  to 
man. 

Had  he  never  looked  upon  the  Christ,  he  would 
have  lost  the  brightest  vision  of  his  life,  his  life 
would  have  lost  its  great  motive,  the  world  would 
have  lost  a  hero,  and  heaven  a  saint.  Look  upon 
Christ.     See  Him  as   He   is,   gentle,  beautiful, 


God*s  Revelation  of  Good         201 

merciful.    Then  you  will  love  mercy  and  be  great 
in  the  eyes  of  God. 

HI.  Walk  humbly  with  thy  God. 

Who  would  walk  otherwise  when  he  knows 
God? 

Who  could  have  walked  proudly  or  haughtily 
by  the  side  of  the  great  Queen  Victoria  whose 
long  life  so  blessed  the  world. 

We  walked  by  the  Alps ;  thousands  of  feet  rose 
the  great  giant  peaks ;  the  trees  of  mammoth  size 
up  there,  looked  like  tufts  of  grass,  and  the  brook- 
lets flung  themselves  forth  in  silver  ribbons, 
changing  to  fringe  as  in  spray  they  fell  upon  the 
ground.  In  the  presence  of  those  great  hoary, 
fragrant,  everlasting  hills  we  were  silent.  We 
felt  our  littleness  and  we  walked  very  humbly 
lest  the  mountains  would  learn  that  we  were  so 
small.  Can  any  man  walk  by  the  bold  jagged  cliffs 
of  Sinai  where  the  law  was  given  in  thunderings 
and  lightnings  and  feel  proud?  We  remember 
that  God  said,  ''  If  so  much  as  a  beast  touches  a 
mountain  he  shall  be  stoned  or  thrust  through 
with  a  dart."  We  walk  humbly  by  the  side  of 
Sinai. 

Then  there  is  Calvary  which  no  one  can  ap- 
proach without  fear  and  trembling,  and  yet  these 
are  only  some  of  the  places  where  God  has  planted 
His  feet.  God  is  greater  than  all  these  mountains 
for  He  made  them,  He  made  all  things.    "  He  is 


202       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

infitiite,  eternal,  and  unchangeable,  in  His  being, 
wisdom,  power,  holiness,  justice,  goodness  and 
truth."  Yet  He  walks  with  us,  He  leads  us  by 
the  hand,  and  we  walk  humbly  with  Him,  as  a 
little  child  walks  with  his  father,  and  we  say  as 
one  of  earth's  greatest,  Frances  Willard,  who  had 
long  walked  with  Him — when  dying, 
"  How  beautiful  it  is  to  be  with  God." 


XV 

god's  care 

"  Are  not  t\vo  sparrows  sold  for  a  farthing?  And  one 
of  them  shall  not  fall  to  the  ground  without  your  Fa- 
ther."— Matthew  lo:  2g. 

Who  cares  for  the  sparrows?  We  do  not,  for 
we  drive  them  from  our  houses,  and  frighten 
them  from  our  shade  trees,  and  mourn  the  day 
when  they  were  brought  to  our  shores.  We  re- 
fuse to  own  them,  calling  them  English  sparrows, 
saying  thereby  that  their  home  and  their  rights 
are  beyond  the  sea.  In  England  they  are  sorry 
for  the  time  when  the  little  creatures  came  from 
the  Orient;  and  in  the  far  East,  their  rightful 
home,  they  represent  one  of  the  smallest  possible 
business  bargains,  indeed  the  purchase  of  one  is 
only  half  a  business  transaction,  for  it  required 
two  of  them  to  equal  in  value,  the  smallest  coin 
of  the  day,  "  Are  not  two  sparrows  sold  for  a 
farthing?  " 

God  alone  cares  for  the  sparrow,  it  seems.  So 
the  little  creature  brings  the  much  needed,  but 
httle  heeded  lesson  of  God's  care  of  His  people- 
203 


1204       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

I.  God's  care  for  His  people  in  the  circum- 
stances OF  LIFE. 

This  was  a  sale  of  the  sparrow  that  was  per- 
fectly legal ;  the  money  had  been  paid  and  all  de- 
clared fair.  What  then  could  anyone  have  to  say 
about  it?  So  we  are  in  the  midst  of  iron-bound 
circumstances,  as  it  would  seem.  Who  could 
take  an  interest  in  us  ?  But  listen.  "  Are  not 
two  sparrows  sold  for  a  farthing  ?  "  Then  God 
is  interested  in  that  sale.  A  record  is  made  of 
it  in  the  divine  economy.  He  is  also  interested 
in  the  details  of  every-day  life.  No  bargain  can 
be  made  about  you,  when  you  may  have  been  in- 
volved in  any  of  the  circumstances  of  life,  that 
the  infinite  God  is  not  at  hand  to  give  you  help. 
God  is  the  God  of  circumstances  as  well  as  of 
Providence,  as  He  tells  us  in  the  incident  of  the 
sparrow. 

They  thought  that  they  had  done  with  Paul 
the  preacher  of  righteousness  when  they  had 
stoned  him  and  carried  him  out  of  the  town  for 
dead.  But  in  a  little  while  he  was  in  their  midst 
preaching  again  as  boldly  as  ever.  He  was  not 
dead,  but  was  in  the  height  of  life.  He  was  more 
to  God  than  any  sparrow. 

When  our  army,  a  few  years  ago  was  camped 
at  Manila,  they  were  attacked  by  the  enemy  in 
the  darkness  when  there  was  raging  a  terrible 
typhoon,  such  as  blinded  our  men,  while  the 
enemy  were  accustomed  to  them.  "  We  would 
have  been  whipped,"  said  one  of  our  soldiers  af- 


God's  Care  205 

terward,  "  had  it  not  been  that  God  clave  the  sky 
with  the  lightning  and  gave  us  light  by  which 
we  took  quick  aim  and  so  drove  the  enemy  back." 
That  quick  flash  which  at  other  times  would  have 
frightened  them,  was  now  welcomed  as  the  means 
by  which  they  might  conquer.  So  in  the  provi- 
dence of  God  they  won  the  battle,  though  there 
were  three  of  the  enemy  to  every  one  of  our 
soldiers.  Did  not  the  God  of  the  sparrow  take 
care  of  our  soldiers  ? 

Poor  old  Elijah  flees  in  haste  from  Queen 
Jezebel  whom  he  has  defeated.  She  threatens 
to  take  his  life.  For  the  time  he  forgets  that 
there  is  over  all  a  hand  ruling  and  governing. 
But  when  he  has  worn  himself  out  with  his  trav- 
els an  angel  meets  him  and  asks, 

"What  doest  thou  here  Elijah?"  And  so  he 
was  taught  how  foolish  he  was  to  forget  that  God 
could  take  care  of  him. 

Some  years  ago  there  arose  a  strange  character 
in  this  country.  He  came  from  next  to  nothing. 
People  laughed  at  him,  for  he  was  awkward  and 
peculiar.  They  sneered  at  his  poverty.  But  all 
the  while  he  went  up  and  up.  Like  a  balloon  into 
which  men  have  stuck  pins  and  then  expect  to 
see  it  collapse,  and  yet  it  rises ;  so  he  rose  higher 
and  higher,  until  he  reached  the  Presidency.  No 
one  but  the  God  of  the  sparrow  guided  him  and 
brought  him  to  this  high  place.  If  God  so  cares 
for  the  sparrow,  will  He  not  care  for  a  President  ? 

Yes  God  is  working  in  the  circumstances  of 


2o6       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

every  moment  of  every  life,  bringing  about  His 
own  great  designs.  No  one  performs  a  single  act 
or  thinks  a  single  thought  that  is  not  known  to  the 
infinite  God.  We  think  events  go  on  regardless 
of  any  divine  help.  But  it  is  not  so.  The  events 
of  the  world  are  not  independent  of  God  any  more 
than  the  record  of  time  by  any  clock  is  indepen- 
dent of  the  sun.  As  all  records  of  time  are  re- 
lated to  the  sun,  so  all  records  of  deeds  are  re- 
lated to  God.  We  go  by  the  clock  because  it 
keeps  time,  that  is  it  keeps  the  record  of  the  sun 
before  us.  The  sun  is  too  bright  for  us  to  gaze 
upon,  hence  the  timepiece  represents  the  sun. 
So  the  events  keep  before  us  the  One  upon  whom 
we  can  not  look  and  live  and  Who  is  the  Provi- 
dence of  every  life. 

But  someone  rises  and  says  that  his  timepiece 
is  set  by  the  Greenwich  time  and  has  nothing  to 
do  with  the  sun!  Yes,  and  where  did  that  ob- 
servatory get  its  light?  Why  from  the  sun,  of 
course.  Hence  all  finally  goes  back  to  the  sun  as 
the  final  providence  in  time.  Thus  there  are  peo- 
ple so  foolish  as  to  say  that  they  do  not  need 
God  and  are  not  dependent  upon  Him,  when  it 
is  by  Him  that  all  things  exist. 

"  But,"  you  ask,  "  How  can  God  care  for  the 
little  things  of  life?"  You  might  as  well  ask 
how  the  watchmaker  can  care  for  the  little  jewel, 
which  seems  so  unimportant  and  yet  on  which  the 
wheel  must  be  balanced.  You  might  as  well  ask 
how  the  keen  eyed  watchmaker  can  detect  the 


God's  Care  207 

bit  of  dust  which  gets  in  the  wheel  and  stops  its 
action.  It  is  his  business  to  look  out  for  just 
such  things ;  for  it  is  not  the  great  accidents  that 
oftenest  stop  the  timepiece,  but  the  little  bits  of 
dust  that  seem  to  the  common  eye  so  harmless. 
So  it  is  not  the  great  sins  that  come  to  us  with 
all  their  frightful  power  that  we  need  most  to 
fear,  but  the  Httle  things  which  all  but  the  Divine 
eye  may  pass  by.  There  is  not  the  slightest 
sorrow  or  care  or  woe  or  trouble  or  anxiety  that 
does  not  concern  God  and  which  He  does  not 
strive  to  remove,  as  the  watchmaker  strives  to 
have  his  timepiece  free  from  the  difficulties  that 
may  hinder  its  perfect  action. 

It  is  a  pretty  well-known  fact  that  most  of  the 
deaths  that  occur  on  the  field  of  battle  result  from 
bleeding  to  death  before  surgical  aid  arrives. 
The  French  government  has  under  consideration 
a  scheme  for  tattooing  the  soldiers  of  the  French 
army  with  a  certain  mark  over  each  artery,  so 
that  a  wounded  man  would  be  able  to  staunch 
the  flow  of  blood  himself  and  thus  increase  his 
chance  of  living.  The  soldier  does  not  know  his 
danger,  and  how  he  may  be  free  from  possibility 
of  death.  But  the  government  does,  and  so  pro- 
vides the  way.  So  we  do  not  know  but  God  does, 
and  cares  for  us.  He  who  stands  by  every  bar- 
gain for  a  sparrow's  life  will  be  with  us  in  every 
time  of  trial  great  or  small.  A  noted  author  of 
our  land,  some  time  ago  received  a  letter  in  Lon- 
don with  his  name  on  the  envelope  and  "  God  only 


ao8       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

knows  where,"  as  the  only  other  mark  upon  it. 
The  postoffice  was  the  providence  to  take  the  mes- 
sage to  him.  So  finally,  thought  the  great  author, 
all  things  come  around  in  the  right  way  and  at 
the  end,  though  we  do  not  know, — who  knows 
what  will  become  of  the  bargain  about  the  spar- 
row and  of  the  sparrow  itself?  God  only 
knows.  So  about  the  ten  thousand  things  which 
happen  to  us  and  over  which  we  have  no  control. 
"  God  only  knows,"  and  He  will  help  us  to  the 
last.  The  sparrow  is  not  sold  without  His  notice, 
but  the  final  issue  is  with  Him. 

"I  know  not  where  the  islands  lift, 
Their  fronded  palms  in  air, 
I  only  know  I  can  not  drift 
Beyond  His  love  and  care." 


II.  God's  care  for  His  people  is  always  had 

IN  THE  impossible  MOMENTS. 

"  One  of  them  shall  not  fall."  These  are  the 
times  over  which  we  have  no  control.  The  spar- 
row was  about  to  be  cast  aside  because  worthless 
or  dead.  Who  would  then  care  for  the  poor  thing? 
Only  God.  There  are  certain  things  which  we 
must  do  blindly.  There  are  many  times  when  we 
can  not  see.  Man  soon  reaches  his  limit.  Who 
will  then  care  for  him  ?  Only  God.  At  two  stages 
in  life  kind  hands  attend  us ;  when  we  come  into 
life,  and  again  when  we  go  out.  It  is  at  these 
times  we  are  so  helpless.     Then  it  is  that  some 


God's  Care  209 

one  keeps  us.  In  the  times  in  life  when  we  are 
smitten  with  afflictions  or  cut  down  by  misfor- 
tunes and  crushed  by  troubles,  that  God  stands 
by  and  says, 

"  A  sparrow  shall  not  fall  without  my  notice 
and  then  will  you?  "     "  O  ye  of  little  faith/' 

One  of  them,  He  divides  the  smallest  purchase 
of  man  in  halves  and  takes  one  of  the  two.  If 
it  had  been  1,000  sold  for  a  farthing  He  would 
have  said  "  one  of  them.''  If  there  be  10  or  100 
or  1,000,  or  10,000  in  the  meeting  it  will  be  one 
of  them  shall  not  miss  the  lessons.  If  there  are 
1,000,000  in  a  city  it  is,  ''one  of  them  shall  not 
suffer,  without  your  Father."  It  was  the  one  lost 
piece  of  silver,  the  one  lost  sheep  and  the  one  lost 
boy  that  were  sought  in  the  Gospel  stories  in  the 
fifteenth  chapter  of  Luke;  and  God  has  never 
changed  His  methods.  God  does  not  say  we  shall 
not  fall,  but  He  does  say  that  when  we  do.  His 
presence  and  help  are  sufficient. 

"  One  of  them."  Then  God  has  a  concern  for 
both,  the  one  taken  and  the  one  left.  They  are 
supposed  to  be  a  pair  of  sparrows, — two  sparrows 
— and  shall  one  be  taken  away  and  feel  lonely 
without  God's  care  ?  God's  watchfulness  is  so  in- 
finite as  that.  Nor  shall  the  separation  of  loved 
ones  in  this  world,  among  God's  children  escape 
His  notice.  Not  a  pain  that  strikes  through  your 
heart,  but  is  felt  by  Him ;  not  a  pang  of  separa- 
tion, but  has  been  fully  measured  by  our  God. 

The  loneliness  of  separation  in  life  is  terrible. 


aio       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

To  be  alone  in  a  foreign  city  where  there  is  no 
one  who  cares  for  you,  is  hard.  But  to  be  lonely 
at  home  where  no  one  can  understand  and  but 
few  care,  that  is  worse.  But  the  infinite  comfort 
is  that  there  is  a  God  who  cares  for  you  in  every 
experience,  in  every  wish,  in  every  feeling.  It  is 
then  that  we  understand  what  the  Son  of  God 
meant  when  He  said,  ''  He  trod  the  winepress  of 
the  wrath  of  God  alone,"  and  cried  out  on  the 
cross,  "  My  God,  My  God,  why  hast  thou  for- 
saken Me?" 

Will  a  mother  desert  her  own  child  when  con- 
tagious disease  has  overtaken  it  and  when  no 
one  else  will  give  it  care?  No,  no.  I  knew  a 
mother  whose  eight-year-old  boy  was  taken  with 
malignant  diphtheria.  She  took  him  in  her  arms 
and  cared  for  him  so  tenderly.  But  in  a  few  days 
the  dreadful  disease  had  taken  hold  of  her  and 
rapidly  ran  its  course.  So  they  took  the  little 
boy  away  from  her.  Then  he  asked,  "  Is  mamma 
sick?"  They  said,  yes.  Then  he  asked,  *' Is 
mamma  dead  ?  "  They  said,  ''  Yes,  she  is  dead." 
Then  he  said,  "  Don't  bury  her  yet  for  I'll  go 
too."  That  night  he  went.  The  next  day  we 
laid  them  both  away,  the  little  boy  in  the  arms  of 
that  mother  who  had  given  her  life  for  him.  And 
I  thought  how  in  some  such  way  God's  care  for 
us  had  led  Him  to  give  the  life  of  His  Son  not 
that  we  might  die,  but  that  we  may  live  forever, 
— that  not  ''  one  of  them  "  may  perish,  but  that 
all  who  will  believe  may  be  saved. 


God*s  Care  211 

III.  It  is  the  care  of  our  Father. 

Say  to  the  little  boy,  "  Harry's  father  is  com- 
ing to-night,"  and  he  will  play  on.  But  say, 
''  Your  father  is  coming  " — then  see  the  alertness 
of  form,  the  twinkle  in  the  eye  and  hear  the 
music  in  his  voice.  Your  father  it  is  who  looks 
after  the  sparrow,  and  will  care  for  you. 

He  has  a  family  interest  in  the  dying  bird, 
and  will  He  not  much  more  love  and  care  for 
us?  There  is  the  canary  bird.  Your  mother 
cares  for  it  and  feeds  it,  but  your  mother  will  be 
much  more  careful  of  you,  the  child  of  her  love. 

You  trust  to  the  laws  of  nature.  You  laugh 
at  the  heat,  you  defy  the  cold,  but  the  heat  will 
smite  you  as  with  iron  hand,  and  the  cold  will 
get  you  at  last  for  what  is  colder  than  the  lifeless 
human  form?  But  let  your  Father  care  for  you 
and  all  will  be  well. 

Father?  Yes,  His  care  is  all  around  you.  The 
sparrow  falls  down  when  it  dies,  and  God's  hand 
is  underneath.  The  spark  flies  up  when  it  dies, 
and  God's  hand  is  above  it.  All  round  has  He  set 
His  power.  Death  can  not  run  away  with  His 
power. 

One  shall  not  fall  without  your  Father.  Christ 
was  constantly  speaking  of  the  Father.  He  never 
for  a  moment  forgot  the  divine  presence  of  His 
Father.  There  is  not  a  sermon  or  prayer  in  which 
it  does  not  occur.  He  says,  ''  I  and  My  Father 
are  one."  "  I  go  to  My  Father,"  "  My  Father 
is  greater  than  all." 


'212       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

If  He  who  cares  for  all  things  will  care  for  us 
like  a  Father,  how  precious  must  life  be.  And 
this  is  true  for  we  read,  "  Like  as  a  father  pitieth 
his  children,  so  the  Lord  pitieth  them  that  are 
His." 

It  is  our  Father  that  stands  by  every  falling 
bird,  every  failing  purpose,  every  lost  aim,  every 
scene  of  sorrow,  every  mount  of  failure.  He  sends 
no  delegate.  He  sends  not  merely  an  angel.  It  is 
God  Himself  who  marks  the  sparrow's  fall,  and 
cares  for  every  child  of  His,  in  every  part  of 
life.  It  is  He  who  says,  ''  I  will  strengthen  thee, 
I  will  help  thee,  yea,  I  will  uphold  thee  with  the 
right  Hand  of  My  righteousness."  "  He  careth 
for  you,"  for  ''  two  sparrows  are  sold  for  a  farth- 
ing and  one  of  them  shall  not  fall  without  your 
Father." 

"  God  will  take  care  of  you,  be  not  afraid ; 
He  is  your  safeguard  through  sunshine  and  shade 
Tenderly  watching  and  keeping  His  own, 
He  will  not  leave  you  to  wander  alone. 

God  will  take  care  of  you  through  all  the  day, 
Shielding  your  footsteps,  directing  your  way ; 
He  is  your  Shepherd,  Protector  and  Guide, 
Leading  His  children  where  pure  waters  glide 

God  will  take  care  of  you,  long  as  you  live, 
Granting  you  blessings,  no  other  can  give, 
He  will  take  care  of  you  when  time  is  past, 
Safe  to  His  kingdom  will  guide  you  at  last. 

God  will  take  care  of  you  still  to  the  end 
O  what  a  Father,  Redeemer  and  Friend, 
Jesus  will  answer,  whenever  you  call 
He  will  take  care  of  you,  trust  Him  for  all." 


XVI 

A    BARGAIN    WITH    GOD 

"  If  God  will  be  with  me,  and  will  keep  me  in  the  way 
that  I  shall  go,  and  will  give  me  bread  to  eat,  and  rai- 
ment to  put  on,  so  that  I  come  again  to  my  father's 
house  in  peace;  then  shall  the  Lord  be  my  God." — 
Genesis  28:  20,  21. 

Jacob  was  fleeing  from  his  father's  house  to 
escape  the  wrath  of  Esau,  whose  birthright  he 
had  taken.  The  favourite  method  of  escaping 
trouble  at  that  time  seemed  to  be  that  of  running 
away.  Moses  ran  away  from  his  people  in  Egypt, 
after  he  had  killed  the  Egyptian  who  was  dis- 
puting with  the  Israelite ;  and  stayed  in  that  coun- 
try until  called  back  at  the  burning  bush,  by  the 
voice  of  God.  Elijah  ran  away  from  Queen 
Jezebel,  at  the  moment  of  his  victory  and  her 
defeat ;  and  was  found  of  God  in  a  fit  of  the  blues 
under  the  Juniper  tree.  David  also  ran  off  to  the 
land  of  the  Philistines  where  he  was  found  act- 
ing the  part  of  an  insane  man.  Countless  num- 
bers in  every  age  and  in  every  land  have  tried  the 
same ;  but  all  have  found  that  God  is  everywhere, 
and  will  require  a  meeting  with  Himself  some- 
where along  the  way. 

So  when  Jacob  found  himself  in  the  presence 
213 


214       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

of  God,  when  he  was  cornered  and  could  not  get 
away,  he  struck  for  a  bargain. 

He  had  just  been  a  party  to  a  sharp  bargain 
which  beat  Esau  out  of  his  right,  and  he  was 
running  away  from  its  effects.  He  seemed  ready 
to  bargain  for  profit  with  any  one,  for  here  he 
proposes  the  conditions  of  his  journey  and  re- 
turn. It  was  to  be  a  commercial  contract.  Many 
a  man  beats  Satan  in  business,  but  we  do  not 
read  of  any  who  beat  the  Almighty.  It  seemed 
like  a  sharp  deal,  this  which  he  proposes.  He 
was  to  get  his  board  and  clothing  and  car  fare, 
(such  as  that  was),  and  for  this  he  was  to  re- 
turn one-tenth  of  all  that  the  Lord  gave  him. 

"  If  God  will  be  with  me,  and  will  keep  me  in 
the  way  that  I  go,  and  will  give  me  bread  to  eat 
and  raiment  to  put  on,  so  that  I  come  to  my 
father's  house  in  peace;  then  shall  the  Lord  be 
my  God,  .  .  .  and  of  all  that  thou  shalt 
give  me,  I  will  surely  give  the  tenth  unto  thee." 

It  was  a  very  good  contract — fair  to  both 
sides,  for  God  accepted  and  entered  into  it.  In 
the  succeeding  ages  men  have  been  prone  to  serve 
God  for  a  material  consideration.  The  old  Saxon 
priest  who  heard  the  Gospel  preached  by  Paul- 
inus,  and  who  had  served  all  the  gods  as  they 
came  along,  said  as  he  turned  over  to  the  true 
God, 

"  All  the  gods  have  profited  me  little.  Long 
years  have  I  served  them.  No  man  has  been  more 
diligent  than  I ;  and  now  I  turn  to  the  true  God." 


A  Bargain  With  God  1215 

Fortima  was  the  favourite  deity  in  Rome.  But 
her  temple  lies  in  ruin  so  deep  that  no  hand  can 
rebuild  it ;  and  she  who  was  supposed  to  give  good 
fortune  to  others  has  suffered  pitiable  misfor- 
tune, which  will  last  till  the  end  of  time.  The 
Negros  of  Guinea  beat  their  gods,  and  the  New 
Zealanders  threaten  to  kill  and  eat  theirs  if  they 
do  not  bring  good  fortune.  Even  Satan  acted  on 
this  principle  of  profit  when  he  argued  with  God 
that  Job  could  be  tempted  to  profanity  and  faith- 
lessness. He  said,  "Does  Job  fear  God  for 
naught?"  ...  Put  forth  Thine  hand  now, 
and  touch  all  that  he  hath,  and  he  will  curse  Thee 
to  Thy  face." 

But  a  new  factor  entered  into  this  contract;  it 
was  that  of  God's  part. 

I.  This  bargain  rested  on  his  faith  in  God's 

CONSTANT    PRESENCE. 

*'  God  was  in  this  place  and  I  knew  it  not," 
said  Jacob.  Then  upon  this  he  based  his  faith 
in  God's  presence,  and  said, 

"  If  God  will  be  with  me,"  etc.  He  had  passed 
beyond  the  stage  of  food  and  clothing.  He  had 
also  gone  beyond  the  relation  of  buyer  and  seller, 
and  sustained  relation  of  sovereign  and  subject. 

It  was  this  relation  which  now  took  hold  of  him. 
The  sovereign  is  everywhere  present  in  his  power. 
No  man  can  lie  down,  or  rise  again,  or  carry  on 
business  without  the  overshadowing  presence  of 
the  king.     Jacob  was  still  in  God's  country  and 


2i6       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

had  greater  obligation  than  merely  eating  or 
drinking  or  travelling.  It  was  the  relationship 
of  king  and  subject  which  had  its  force  in  the 
nature  of  eternal  things. 

So  there  are  higher  relationships  to-day  be- 
tween God  and  man  than  the  mere  bargain  for  the 
daily  food.  Man's  bargain  with  God  for  his 
daily  supply  is  in  his  willingness  and  in  his  op- 
portunity to  use  his  muscle,  his  hand,  and  his 
brain.  God  will  respond  to  every  such  bargain 
wdth  a  blessing  of  food  and  raiment  and  means 
of  livelihood  as  with  Jacob.  But  it  does  not  end 
there.  There  may  come  a  time  in  your  lives  when 
you  will  not  be  able  to  work,  then  who  will  look 
after  you?  There  may  come  a  time  when  your 
life  may  be  attacked,  then  who  is  to  do  you  jus- 
tice; a  time  when  there  must  be  a  judge  in  the 
case  and  who  will  then  plead  your  cause?  If  you 
are  a  citizen  of  this  nation  the  final  authority 
is  in  the  President,  for  after  all  he  is  the  centre 
of  authority  and  has  the  pardon  power  over  any 
state  in  the  nation.  Yet  he  rarely  ever  uses  that 
power,  but  it  is  used  for  him  by  others  every- 
where in  the  country.  So  finally  every  question 
resolves  itself  to  the  relation  between  you  and 
the  sovereign  power  in  the  President;  and  that 
sovereign  power  is  always  present. 

So  it  became  a  question  between  Jacob  and  his 
God  and  he  said,  "  God  is  in  this  place  and  I 
knew  it  not ;  and  if  God  will  be  with  me." — 

So  we  have  a  sovereign,  our  God,  who  though 


A  Bargain  With  God  217 

He  does  not  step  out  and  show  himself  whenever 
we  have  a  Httle  trouble,  any  more  than  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States  does,  yet  He  as  truly 
sways  us  by  His  power  delegated  to  others  in  our 
behalf;  and  we  say, 

"  Truly  God  is  in  this  place." 

We  do  not  see  this  source  of  power  and  help, 
but  that  does  not  matter.  The  roots  of  life  are 
all  out  of  sight.  It  is  so  with  the  little  violet 
humbly  looking  up  from  the  wayside;  it  is  so 
with  the  giant  oak  which  sways  in  the  storm; 
it  is  so  with  the  musician,  who  in  private  studies 
with  the  teacher,  and  after  long  practice  comes" 
out  in  the  grand  recital;  so  with  the  orator,  his 
practice  is  all  out  of  sight;  and  when  he  comes 
upon  the  platform  to  please  and  profit,  they  ask, 
"  How  does  he  do  it  ?  "  Yet  no  one  can  tell. 
Roots  are  not  intended  to  show,  and  if  they  do, 
the  natural  impulse  is  to  cover  them  over.  All 
sources  of  life  are  hidden  and  yet  real  and  pres- 
ent. Then  why  should  we  demand  that  God  the 
great  source  of  all  life  should  come  out  and  show 
Himself  and  His  methods  before  we  believe  in 
Him,  when  nothing  else  does?  It  is  unreason- 
able. He  never  will,  and  we  are  too  sensible  to 
demand  it.  We  are  then,  ready  to  say  with  Jacob 
"  God  is  in  this  place  and  I  knew  it  not." 

The  great  question  is  that  of  knowledge.  If 
we  had  sufficient  knowledge  on  all  hands  we  would 
have  plenty  of  faith;  rather  then,  we  would  not 
need  faith. 


21 8       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

The  other  day  a  little  boy  saw  his  father  walk- 
ing about  in  his  library,  as  though  searching  for 
something.  And  the  child  four  years  old  said, 
''  Papa  what  are  you  hunting  for  ?  "  and  the  father 
replied  in  one  word,  "  knowledge."  The  child 
at  once  replied  with  the  assurance  of  a  philos- 
opher, ''  I'll  find  you  knowledge,"  and  going  to 
the  book  shelves  he  took  down  a  large  book  and 
handing  it  to  his  father  said,  "  Here  is  knowl- 
edge," and  it  was  just  the  book  the  father  needed. 
It  proved  to  be  the  Bible. 

So  there  are  statesmen  and  orators  and  philos- 
ophers and  scientists  who  are  groping  about  for 
something  that  is  lacking  and  when  the  child  of 
God  hands  him  the  key  to  the  situation  in  life, 
he  says  with  Jacob,  "  I  never  before  knew  this. 
God  is  in  this  place/' 

This  knowledge  must  be  a  fact  in  life  and  not 
merely  about  it.  We  are  passing  through  a  period 
of  uncut  edges  in  literature.  There  are  many 
who  like  their  Harpers,  their  Centuries,  their 
McClures,  and  all  the  rest,  in  the  most  approved 
style.  They  like  to  run  the  paper  knife  along 
the  edges  and  see  the  pages  open.  There  has 
been  a  long  period  of  uncut  edges  in  spiritual 
things,  when  the  volumes  of  life  have  been  doubly 
bound,  that  is,  in  the  back  and  the  front,  and 
pages  only  opened  in  bunches.  It  was  so  with 
Jacob.  It  has  been  so  with  many  others,  and 
the  cry  has  been,  that  God  is  in  this  place. 

This  knowledge  is  coming  by  way  of  the  myri- 


A  Bargain  With  God  219 

ads  of  Christian  workers  who  are  living  the 
knowledge  of  God  to  the  world.  The  edges  of 
the  book  of  life,  have  been  cut  and  there  is  be- 
fore us  an  open  book  of  testimony  that  God  is 
in  this  place  to  abide  with  us.  O  that  the  whole 
world  may  know  this,  that  the  power  of  beauty 
and  sublimity  and  mercy  and  love  may  become 
supreme,  that  all  the  war  that  is  known  shall  be 
the  fighting  of  light  against  darkness,  of  heat 
against  cold,  of  summer  against  winter,  of  purity 
against  impurity,  of  eternal  and  purified  life 
against  death,  for  God  is  in  this  place  to  help  and 
strengthen. 

II.  This  bargain  rested  on  Jacob's  loyalty 
TO  God. 

"  Then  shall  the  Lord  be  my  God,"  said  Jacob. 
This  was  to  settle  his  whole  future.  He  had  come 
in  line  with  the  providence  of  God. 

Nations  have  their  treaties  and  alliances  by 
which  their  relations  are  maintained  and  their 
future  is  decided,  such  as  the  treaty  of  Ghent, 
and  the  Triple  alliance. 

This  was  Jacob's  alliance  with  God  by  which 
their  relations  are  to  be  peacefully  maintained  as 
long  as  Jacob  should  live.  It  is  a  question  of 
allegiance,  ad  lego — to  bind  together.  Thus  Jacob 
was  bound  by  his  promise  to  the  true  service  of 
that  God  whom  he  had  learned  to  trust. 

It  was  everything  to  Jacob  that  his  life  was 
linked  to  a  greater  life.     Before  him  his  future 


a20        The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

lay  beautiful  and  grand.  It  is  everything  to  a 
man  to  have  his  relations  in  life  established.  A 
man  is  great  in  the  business  and  professional  life, 
according  to  his  connections.  A  man  who  repre- 
sents a  company,  has  the  force  and  power  of  that 
company  at  his  command.  A  man  who  belongs  to 
a  nation  may  command  the  force  of  that  govern- 
ment if  need  be  to  protect  him  in  a  foreign  land. 
So  a  man's  alliance  with  God  places  him  in  pos- 
session of  such  a  power,  that  he,  like  Jacob,  may 
go  even  into  the  greatest  dangers  of  a  desert  land 
and  have  no  fear.  If  God  protects  a  man  and 
gives  him  bread  and  raiment  and  help,  he  ought 
to  be  loyal.  Any  man  who  is  not,  deserves  only 
condemnation  and  banishment. 

Jacob  realized  the  greatness  of  his  companion- 
ship with  God.  It  is  much  in  favour  of  the  boy 
to  be  with  a  great  strong  father  that  he  may  learn 
by  constant  precept,  the  true  type  of  manhood 
which  he  sees  in  that  father. 

It  is  vastly  in  favour  of  the  man  who  can  bring 
his  life  so  under  God's  law  and  God's  salvation 
by  his  belief  in  Christ,  that  he  can  say  with  all 
the  power  of  his  nature,  ''  The  Lord  shall  be  my 
God,"  for  he  then  has  strength,  and  his  future 
is  secure,  though  it  may  not  be  just  what  he  plans 
and  wishes. 

A  few  days  ago  a  little  girl,  four  years  old  is 
said  to  have  travelled  all  the  way  from  Fort 
Worth,  Texas,  to  New  York  City  alone  and  un- 
attended.   How?    Well,  the  mother  of  the  child 


A  Bargain  With  God  221 

wrote  upon  a  tag  the  address  of  the  destination 
of  the  child,  and  by  it  these  words,  ''Please  do 
not  let  me  go  astray/'  that  child  was  labelled  and 
marked.  It  is  said  that  on  all  the  trains  in  which 
she  travelled  people  vied  with  one  another  to  show 
her  kindnesses  and  the  ladies  so  strove  together 
that  the  conductor  at  times  would  designate  those 
who  should  do  the  kindnesses  for  the  child,  in  the 
evening  and  in  the  morning. 

''  Fortunate  child,"  you  say.  How  could  she 
go  astray?  The  secret  is,  the  child  was  well 
marked,  and  like  Jacob  of  old  no  one  did  her 
harm  but  all  helped  her  on  her  journey. 

Young  men  and  young  women  go  out  from 
their  homes  by  the  thousand,  these  days  to  the 
great  cities,  and  have  a  hard  battle  unless  they 
are  definitely  and  decidedly  furnished  with  the 
mark  which  all  will  respect,  "  Do  not  let  me  go 
astray,"  as  in  the  case  of  the  child. 

"  The  Lord  shall  be  my  God,"  is  the  word 
which  makes  a  man  secure.  Some  have  it  in  the 
face,  others  in  the  kind  word,  others  in  the  gen- 
erous deed,  others  in  the  whole  nature.  But 
somehow  in  the  presence  of  this  power  of  God 
the  profane  jest,  the  low  remark,  the  evil  thought, 
are  out  of  place,  and  will  soon  disappear.  One 
of  such  noble  life  is  safe  on  any  journey.  All 
unite  to  help  them  safely  through    this    world. 

The  sun  has  set  his  mark  upon  forest,  field  and 
flower  and  makes  a  gallery  of  the  clouds,  by  im- 
posing upon  them  his  nature.   So  God  writes  His 


222       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

changing  story  in  the  lives  of  men  who  will  swear 
allegiance  to  Him,  and  may  this  be  our  lasting 
bargain  with  God,  that  He  shall  set  His  mark  upon 
us  clear  and  plain  so  all  may  see, 

"  Do  not  let  me  go  astray." 
"The   Lord   shall  be  my  God." 

"  This  was  the  Bethel,  where,  on  stony  bed. 

While  angels  went  and  came  from  morn  till  even. 
Our  truer  Jacob  laid  His  wearied  head; 
This  was  to  Him  the  very  gate  of  heaven. 

"  Yes ;    death's  last  hope,  his  strongest  fort  and  prison, 
Is  shattered,  never  to  be  built  again; 
And  He,  the  mighty  captive,  He  is  risen, 
Leaving  behind  the  gate,  the  bar,  the  chain." 

ni.  The  pledge  of  the  bargain^  was  a  gift 
FROM  Jacob  to  God,  of  one-tenth  of  all 

THAT  HE  SHOULD  RECEIVE. 

"  And  of  all  that  Thou  shalt  give  me,  I  will 
surely  give  the  tenth  unto  Thee." 

That  was  a  fair  bargain  and  God  accepted  it. 
Jacob  was  at  least  honest  enough  to  pay  interest 
on  his  gifts,  and  that  is  more  than  most  men  are 
willing  to  do. 

Jacob's  religion  never  did  him  any  good  till 
he  began  to  pay  for  it.  No  man's  religion  is 
worth  the  snap  of  his  finger  unless  he  pays  for 
it.  It  is  not  that  God  needed  the  amount  here 
stated,  for  he  could  create  worlds  by  the  word  of 
power.     But  it  is  that  Jacob  was  to  receive  the 


A  Bargain  With  God  223 

benefit.  There  is  no  parent  that  delights  in  see- 
ing the  child  take  the  blessings  of  home  without 
being  thankful.  There  is  no  business  institu- 
tion that  will  give  out  money  without  the  return 
of  a  fair  interest.  There  is  a  feeling  everywhere 
that  anything  that  is  worth  having  is  worth 
paying  for  at  least  in  some  small  way.  The  rea- 
son why  more  people  do  not  have  a  better  re- 
ligious life  is  because  they  do  not  pay  enough 
for  it.  They  have  no  investment  there  and  how 
can  they  expect  a  return?  How  can  any  man 
expect  to  get  blessings  without  some  return. 
There  is  no  such  thing  in  the  universe.  God  has 
written  the  law  of  compensation  which  is  as  in- 
exorable as  the  law  of  gravity.  If  one  gives,  he 
shall  receive.  If  he  does  not,  he  shall  not.  "  If  a 
man  does  not  work,  neither  shall  he  eat,"  is  the 
divine  decree.  ''  By  the  sweat  of  thy  brow  shalt 
thou  eat  bread,"  said  God  long  ago.  It  would 
not  be  a  good  or  a  right  thing  for  a  man  to  re- 
ceive blessings  without  paying  for  them,  for  he 
would  grow  unappreciative  and  forgetful  of  his 
God.  All  people  then  who  eat  of  God's  bounty 
should  be  at  least  as  honest  as  Jacob.  Men  cry 
out  against  the  church,  forgetting  that  the  reason 
why  the  church  seems  to  them  so  barren  is  be- 
cause they  have  done  nothing  and  paid  nothing 
for  the  great  cause.  Great  gifts  have  indeed  been 
given,  but  how  much  mightier  would  be  the  Gos- 
pel of  Christ  if  all  men  would  pay  only  a  small 
amount  as  did  Jacob. 


224       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

Notice  now  how  God  set  His  seal  on  this  bar- 
gain by  the  boundless  blessings  which  Jacob  re- 
ceived. He  grew  rich  and  great  and  returned  to 
his  own  land. 

There  is  no  better  investment  than  that 
given  to  the  great  cause  of  God.  By  two  great 
agencies  the  world  is  to  be  brought  to  Christ, 
that  is,  by  consecrated  money,  and  consecrated 
men. 

May  the  world  speedily  learn  this  great  lesson 
by  which  Jacob,  so  wisely  profited ;  and  then  the 
universal  vision  will  be  far  beyond  what  Jacob 
first  saw,  even  as  beautiful  as  the  poet  represents 
his  final  view  of  God's  glory. 

"  I  saw  again.    Behold !    Heaven's  open  door ; 
Behold!    a  throne, — the  Seraphim  stood  o'er  it, 
The  white-robed  elders  fell  upon  the  floor, 
And  flung  their  crowns  before  it. 


"  Who  dreams  of  God  when  passionate  youth  is  nigh, 
When  first  life's  weary  waste  his  feet  have  trod — 
Who  seeth  angel's  footfalls  in  the  sky. 
Working  the  works  of  God; 

"  His  sun  shall  fade  as  gently  as  it  rose, 

Through  the  dark  woof  of  death's  approaching  night 
His  faith  shall  shoot,  at  life's  prophetic  close, 
Some  threads  of  golden  light. 

"  For  him  the  silver  ladder  shall  be  set — 

His  Saviour  shall  receive  his  latest  breath, 
He  walketh  to  a  fadeless  coronet, 

Up  through  the  gate  of  death." 


XVII 

THE    MAN    OF   FAITH 
"  Now  faith:'— Heb.  ii:  i. 

Faith  is  the  great  cohesive  force  in  human  life, 
for  it  grasps  and  holds  all  things  in  order.  The 
child  has  faith  in  his  parents,  the  boy  has  faith 
in  his  own  ability,  the  farmer  in  the  seasons,  the 
seaman  in  the  stars  and  his  compass,  the  business 
man  in  his  opportunities  and  the  Christian  in  his 
God.  Faith  discovered  America,  is  the  parent 
of  all  inventions,  the  author  of  all  books,  has 
planted  Christianity  in  all  lands  and  reaches  out 
invisible  hands  from  the  future  for  us  to  grasp 
and  hold.  It  is  represented  everywhere  in  the 
Bible  and  in  the  world  as  the  power  of  powers; 
as  in  the  last  seven  verses  of  this  eleventh  chapter 
of  Hebrews,  where  it  is  said  that  faith  subdued 
kingdoms,  wrought  righteousness,  stopped  the 
mouths  of  lions,  and  a  hundred  other  things. 
And  also  in  that  world-famous  saying.  "  This  is 
the  victory  which  overcomes  the  world  even  your 
faith." 

How  then  could  God  represent  this  power  to 
man?  Not  in  words,  for  man  would  not  fully 
understand.  Not  in  a  single  individual  for  man 
could  not  believe  him,  for  that  was  done  in 
Jesus  of  Nazareth.  But  it  is  presented  in  the 
225 


226       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

best  way  in  different  forms  and  in  different  per- 
sons, in  the  eleventh  chapter  of  Hebrews. 

Ideal  manhood  can  not  be  better  represented 
in  a  single  way  than  in  Westminster  Abbey. 
There  may  be  found  the  memory  of  the  most 
noted  poets  and  philosophers  and  scientists  and 
orators  and  doctors  and  preachers  and  kings  and 
queens.  Gather  now  the  best  from  all  of  these 
and  you  have  the  greatest  material  for  the  man 
of  faith. 

The  eleventh  chapter  of  Hebrews  is  the  West- 
minster of  the  Bible,  for  here  the  Almighty  has 
gathered  the  best  out  of  all  the  past  in  the  per- 
sons of  Old  Testament  history  as  models  for  the 
man  of  faith,  and  this  ''  now  faith  "  with  which 
the  chapter  begins,  pushes  open  the  door  into  this 
temple  of  immortal  fame. 

Here  we  shall  study  the  man  of  faith  in  the 
lives  of  seven  great  men.  In  each  of  these  men- 
tioned in  this  sacred  story  the  supreme  power  of 
his  life  is  chosen  and  the  combination  of  all  of 
these  forms  the  man  of  faith  as  God  sees  him. 

I.  Sacrifice  is  the  first  power  of  the  man  of 
faith  and  is  found  in  Abel.  "  By  faith  Abel 
offered  to  God  a  more  excellent  sacrifice 
than  Cain,  by  which  he  obtained  witness 
that  he  was  righteous  .  .  .  and  by  it  be- 
ing dead  yet  speaketh."  (v.  4.) 
In  our  day  foolish  people  have  changed  this 

word  sacrifice  to  mean  the  giving  up,  under  pro- 


The  Man  of  Faith  227 

test,  of  anything  without  hope  of  return  or  re- 
ward. ReHgion  is  considered  by  them  as  a  beggar 
or  a  thief,  which  takes  away  all  that  is  pleasant, 
and  leaves  only  the  unpleasant  without  either 
the  ability  or  the  will  to  reward.  Money  placed 
in  the  collection  basket  is  too  often  given  as  it 
might  be  hurled  into  the  sea  and  considered  gone 
forever  and  is  called  a  sacrifice. 

A  very  wealthy  lady  said  to  a  friend  after 
giving  a  few  dollars  to  a  great  cause,  "  There, 
I  am  glad  I  am  rid  of  that  bitter  dose."  But 
God's  bitterness  must  have  been  infinitely  greater 
in  view  of  what  He  had  given  her,  and  in  view 
of  the  fact  that  that  was  almost  the  sum  total 
of  her  gifts.  And  yet  she  called  that  a  sacrifice. 
Such  people  never  seem  to  see  that  life  is  a 
constant  giving  up,  whether  one  is  on  God's  side 
or  not.  Indeed  that  is  the  rule  of  nature.  The 
apple  tree  gives  up  one  hundred  blossoms  for 
every  perfected  apple,  and  the  mother  and  father 
give  a  thousand  ministries  to  their  children  for 
every  return  of  kindness. 

But  the  rule  of  divine  sacrifice  is  different.  Its 
very  meaning  is  to  make  sacred;  hence  it  does 
not  always  pay  in  money,  but  usually  in  char- 
acter, which  seems  harder  to  get  than  money,  and 
is  infinitely  better. 

In  all  the  wreck  of  worlds,  character  will  stand 
unmoved  and  unshaken.  God  Himself  can  not 
destroy  it  and  can  not  even  change  it  unless  by 
the  will  of  the  owner.     Sacrifice  makes  sacred 


228       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

because  it  is  a  giving  up  to  God,  a  touch  of  the 
hand  which  brings  the  holy  Hfe.  It  was  so  with 
Abel,  for  he  gained  an  immortal  character  of 
nobility  and  an  immortal  fame,  for  "  he  being 
dead  yet  speaketh."  It  was  so  with  Christ  Him- 
self who  is  the  final  embodiment  of  all  sacrifice. 

II.  Pleasing  God^  is  the  second  great  power  of 
the  man  of  faith,  and  has  its  embodiment 
in  Enoch.  ''  By  faith  Enoch  .  .  .  had 
this  testimony  that  he  pleased  God."  (v. 
S-) 

This  is  a  man-pleasing  age.  The  average  man 
tries  first  of  all  to  please  himself,  then  others, 
then  his  God,  if  he  has  any  time  left.  Man  wants 
everything  to  please  him  and  he  is  angry  with 
God  unless  the  divine  decrees  seem  to  work  in 
his  favour.  He  would  fain  have  the  terms  re- 
versed in  the  answer  to  the  first  question  of  the 
Shorter  Catechism,  so  as  to  read, 

"  The  chief  end  of  God  is  to  glorify  man  and  to 
enjoy  him  forever." 

The  exact  opposite  of  this  is  the  secret  of  true 
greatness.  The  happiness  of  the  world  depends 
on  how  well  we  please  God.  This  is  the  highest 
standard  of  excellence,  for  God  is  our  Father 
and  as  a  mere  policy  it  is  wise  to  please  a  father. 

The  children  in  their  joys  and  sorrows  in  the 
family  have  an  influence  upon  the  parents,  and 
every  traveller  is  cheered  or  discouraged  by  the 
smile  or  frown  upon  the  face  of  the  man  whom 
he  meets  but  once  along  the  way.     How  much 


The  Man  of  Faith  229 

more  then  is  the  great  sensitive  nature  of  God 
moved  by  the  conditions  of  life  which  are  pleas- 
ing or  displeasing  to  Him.  Like  Enoch  we  are 
to  come  into  this  condition  of  pleasing  God. 

Fra  Angelico  failed  in  painting  the  Inferno, 
because  he  was  not  acquainted  with  that  kind  of 
life.  But  he  succeeded  gloriously  in  painting 
Paradise  because  he  led  a  life  which  pleased  God. 
This  was  the  great  principle  which  brought  us 
safely  through  the  war  of  the  rebellion  in  our 
own  land.  President  Lincoln  several  times  was 
asked  to  have  days  of  prayer  appointed  to  plead 
with  God  to  be  on  our  side.  He  always  replied 
that  it  was  more  important  for  us  to  know  that 
we  are  on  God's  side.  To  be  on  God's  side  is 
to  be  in  harmony  with  His  plan  and  will.  This 
made  Enoch  and  Isaiah,  and  Moses  and  Paul  and 
ten  thousand  others  great.  This  is  to  walk  with 
God  as  did  Enoch.  There  are  musical  instru- 
ments which  are  hardly  ever  in  tune,  and  if  they 
are  tuned  properly  they  will  go  off  again  before 
one  selection  is  finished.  There  are  such  people 
in  the  world.  They  are  hardly  ever  in  tune  with 
their  Maker  and  can  seldom  be  played  upon  by 
the  divine  hand.  It  must  make  God  angry,  to 
have  such  creatures  differ  with  Him,  and  to  rise 
up  and  say  that  He  does  not  know, — that  His 
word  is  not  His  word  and  that  He  did  not  know 
what  He  said  when  He  wrote  it,  and  could  not 
keep  without  error  what  He  had  written.  Would 
it  not  be  strange  for  a  crying  infant  to  try  to  tell  a 
man  how  to  write  a  book  or  build  a  house,  or 


230       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

cast  up  the  accounts  in  the  ledger?  And  yet 
there  would  be  more  sense  in  that  than  for  man 
to  attempt  to  tell  God  how  to  write  His  Bible. 
There  are  men  who  are  ready  with  just  such 
instruction.  How  much  better  to  be  in  tune  with 
God,  to  please  Him  as  did  Enoch. 

There  is  a  great  painting  which  represents  the 
workman  standing  with  hammer  in  hand,  ready 
to  bring  the  great  bell  which  he  is  making  into 
tune.  The  tone  for  the  bell  is  given  by  an  in- 
strument, in  the  hand  of  one,  who  as  he  strikes 
the  strings  looks  up  as  though  the  sound  was  to 
come  from  the  sky.  Now  when  the  bell  has  the 
key  and  is  in  tune,  it  will  never  change  so  long 
as  it  is  a  bell.  Strike  it  by  day  or  night,  by 
summer  or  winter,  in  heat  or  in  cold,  and  it  sings 
the  same  clear,  sweet,  unchanging  song.  The  bell 
has  been  raised  above  all  conditions  of  heat  and 
cold  that  surround  it,  when  it  is  brought  into  tune. 
So  we  are  brought  into  harmony  with  heaven  and 
lifted  above  the  conditions  of  earth  that  sur- 
round us,  that  we  may  please  God,  uniting  with 
Christ  in  the  great  aim  of  His  life  when  He  said, 
''  I  do  always  the  things  that  please  the  Father." 

in.  Fear^  is  the  third  great  power  of  the  man 

of  faith,  and  is  represented  in  Noah,  who 

"  through   fear  prepared  an  ark   for  the 

saving  of  himself  and  house."     (v.  7.) 

There  was  danger  ahead  and  he  was  warned 

to  avoid  it.     A  religion  that  does  not  warn  of 


The  Man  of  Faith 


231 


impending  danger  is  a  snare  and  a  delusion.  As 
elsewhere,  so  here,  God  has  set  a  signal  of  warn- 
ing at  every  danger  point.  He  has  set  the  buoys 
all  along  the  sea  of  life  that  we  may  know  the 
safe  course.  Why  do  you  avoid  the  fire?  Be- 
cause you  fear  you  may  be  burned.  Why  do  you 
not  drink  poison  willingly?  Because  you  know 
it  will  kill.  Why  do  you  not  tempt  the  murderer  ? 
Because  you  fear  he  may  take  your  life.  Why 
do  you  not  tamper  with  sin?  Because  it  is  more 
deadly  and  dangerous  than  all  of  these.  Every 
man  has  some  mighty  torrents  to  face,  and  they 
roll  their  waves  higher  and  higher.  Yet  in  this 
there  is  nothing  to  affright  more  than  the  flood 
of  Noah's  day  frightened  him.  When  God  tells 
us  there  is  danger  in  the  poison  of  sin  in  any 
form,  we  should  be  afraid  of  its  presence  and 
power  and  so  avoid  it  as  did  Noah  in  his  right- 
eous fear.  In  this  we  have  the  saying  of  the  Holy 
One,  when  He  says,  "  Fear  not  them  which  kill 
the  body,  but  rather  fear  Him  who  is  able  to 
cast  both  soul  and  body  in  hell." 

IV.  Obedience  is  the  fourth  great  power  of  the 

man  of  faith,  as  found  in  Abraham.    '^  By 

faith    Abraham   .    .    .   obeyed    and    went 

out  not  knowing  whither  he  went."     (v. 

8.) 

It  is  a  hard  thing  to  go  forward  in  absolute 

darkness.     But  it  can  be  done.     In  doing  this 

Abraham  did  no  more  than  is  done  every  day  by 


232       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

the  man  learning  mathematics.  His  evidence 
comes  only  as  he  goes  on.  He  first  obeys  the  laws 
of  mathematics  and  then  he  becomes  their  master 
and  works  as  he  will. 

A  few  years  ago  a  test  was  made  of  the  various 
penitentiaries  of  this  country  and  it  was  found 
that  ninety  per  cent,  of  all  the  inmates  gave  as 
the  principal  cause  of  their  ruin,  disobedience  to 
parents. 

A  man  who  disobeys  the  law  of  God, — as  surely 
finds  himself  in  trouble.  To  him  life  is  all  cor- 
ners, and  he  is  forever  knocking  against  them. 
It  is  a  wicked  fallacy  that  we  are  absolutely  free 
and  can  do  as  we  please.  It  would  not  be  best 
of  it  were  true.  Obedience  is  the  law  of  order 
and  happiness. 

John  Ruskin  expresses  this,  emphasizing  the 
great  Bible  truth  when  he  says  that  with  a  foun- 
dation of  a  cathedral  provided,  all  the  rest  is 
obedience.  In  building  the  walls  one  must  obey 
the  law  of  gravity.  In  rearing  the  arch,  one  must 
obey  the  law  of  resistance.  In  lifting  the  tower, 
one  must  obey  the  laws  of  symmetry  and  propor- 
tion. So  we  see  that  man  builds  not  as  he  wills, 
but  in  obedience  to  these  laws  of  the  universe. 
Why,  the  planets  are  not  independent,  but  they 
must  obey  the  sun.  The  tides  go  and  come,  not 
as  they  please,  but  are  led  by  the  moon.  The 
rivers  must  keep  within  their  channels.  The  dead 
leaf,  because  it  can  no  longer  obey  any  other 
force,  is  pulled  down  from  the  tree  by  gravity 


The  Man  of  Faith  233 

or  whisked  off  by  the  wind,  and  death  sets  to 
work  with  nimble  fingers  to  pull  it  to  pieces.  So 
obedience  is  the  great  law  of  all  life  from  Adam 
and  Abraham  down.  Even  Christ  asserted  His 
loyalty  to  God  when  He  said,  "  I  came  not  to  do 
My  own  will,  but  the  will  of  Him  that  sent  Me." 
Adam  in  Eden  disobeyed ;  Christ  in  Gethsemane 
and  on  Calvary  obeyed.  Which  will  you  take  as 
your  example? 

V.  The  future  is  the  fifth  great  power  of  the 
man  of  faith.  "By  faith  Isaac  blessed 
Jacob  and  Esau  concerning  things  to 
come."     (v.  20.) 

This  was  the  father's  last  will  and  testament. 
A  man  can  easily  will  to  his  son  land  and  estates, 
but  how  can  he  give  him  the  future?  If  every 
father  could  bequeath  a  definite  successful  future 
to  his  son,  what  a  changed  world  this  would  be ! 
Isaac  could  not  do  that,  nor  can  any  father  now, 
but  this  expresses  the  importance  of  the  ques- 
tion of  the  future.  It  is  this  foresight  of  faith 
that  throws  out  the  picket  line  further  and  fur- 
ther, and  sends  spies  on  ahead  to  bring  in  an 
encouraging  report.  It  is  this  "  concerning  things 
to  come  "  that  makes  to-morrow,  and  next  week 
and  next  year  and  eternity,  interesting.  It  pushes 
open  every  door  of  possibility  and  clears  away 
the  clouds,  that  hope  may  shine  bright  in  the  day 
of  gloom.  It  assures  the  fulfillment  of  all  our 
highest  hopes  and  greatest  promises  of  the  Bible. 


^34       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

It  is  this  foresight  of  faith,  which  leads  on  as 
one  lost  in  the  forest,  is  led  by  the  shining  of  a 
newly  found  light,  as  Christian  in  Pilgrim's  Prog- 
ress saw  the  bright  light  at  the  gate  of  the  ce- 
lestial city.  It  was  the  same  that  led  the  Son  of 
God  to  say, 

"  Behold,  ye  shall  see  greater  things  than 
these,"  when  the  Son  of  God  shall  come  in  power 
and  great  glory.  "  Things  to  come  " — ^the  fore- 
sight of  faith  is  the  fifth  great  power  of  the  man 
of  faith. 

VI.  Worship  is  the  sixth  great  power  of  the 
man  of  faith,  and  is  represented  in  Jacob 
who,  "  blessed  the  two  sons  of  Joseph, 
leaning  on  the  top  of  his  staff."     (v.  21.) 

It  is  worship  that  blesses  the  world.  It  is  the 
generating  force  for  all  hope  and  faith,  the  elec- 
tric battery  which  holds  the  power  till  it  goes 
forth  on  its  mighty  mission.  Worship  brings  an 
intimate  acquaintance  with  God.  Worship  is  the 
sun  which  cheers  the  world  with  its  light,  the 
rain  which  refreshes  the  soil,  which  deserves  the 
Almighty's  wrath.  God  said  He  would  save 
Sodom  if  only  ten  righteous  persons  could  be 
found.  And  there  is  many  a  city  and  many  a 
man  who  may  thank  God's  worshipping  people 
for  mercy  and  life.  Sweep  away  all  churches 
and  all  the  places  of  worship,  refuse  man  the 
upward  look,  never  allow  him  to  turn  his  ear  to 
catch  a  sound  of  the  voice  of  his  Maker,  cast  a 


The  Man  of  Faith 


23  J 


cloud  over  the  sky  so  thick  that  even  hope  can 
not  go  through,  erase  from  memory  all  thoughts 
of  God,  and  you  will  have  a  world  as  though 
without  an  atmosphere,  a  land  without  a  shade, 
a  forest  without  a  rustling  leaf  or  moving  bough, 
a  humanity  without  a  smile,  a  life  without  a  hope, 
a  world  of  woe  and  not  a  world  of  worship. 
Which  would  you  rather  have?  It  is  worship 
that  heals  a  stricken  world,  for  Christ  comes  and 
asks,  ''  Wilt  thou  be  made  whole  ?  "  Worship 
then  is  the  sixth  power  of  the  man  of  faith. 

VII.  Choice  is  the  seventh   (the  perfect  num- 
ber) great  power  of  the  man  of  faith,  and 
Moses  is  its  embodiment,  for  he  "  chose 
rather  to  suffer  with  the  people  of  God," 
(v.  25)  than  to  be  king  of  Egypt. 
This  is  the  decision  of  destiny,  and  of  all  God's 
creation  is  the  exclusive  prerogative  of  man.     It 
is  the  selecting  of  a  definite  course  to  be  forever 
followed.      No   man    drifts    into   goodness    any 
more  than  a  ship  drifts  safely  into  port  from  a 
surging  sea.    Choice  is  the  helm  of  the  ship  which 
is  set  firm  and  strong  for  a  definite  harbour.     It 
was  not  easy  for  Moses  to  make  this  choice,  but 
it  was  for  life  and  when  he  looked  upon  his  des- 
tiny, he  dared  not  turn  back,  and  so  he  became 
the  world's  greatest  law-giver  and  God's  mighty 
servant.     It  is  choice  that  changes  a  boy  into  a 
man,  moves  the  business  of  the  world  along  a 
secure  plane,  and  makes  giants  in  a  day.  Thus  the 


236       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

Davids  become  greater  than  the  Goliaths,  Moses 
greater  than  Pharaoh,  Paul  greater  than  Nero,  and 
the  true  Christian  greater  than  any  earthly  king; 
for  ye  are  more  than  conquerors,  through  Christ 
who  loved  us  and  gave  Himself  for  us.  Choice 
is  the  crowning  power  of  the  completed  man.  By 
it  he  may  enter  heaven  and  become  a  king,  a 
priest  unto  God,  through  Christ  the  Saviour. 

"  Once  to  every  man  and  nation, 

Comes  the   moment  to   decide. 
In  the   strife   'twixt  truth   and   falsehood,. 

For  the  good  or  evil  side, 
And  the  choice  goes  by  forever 

'Twixt  the  darkness  and  the  light." 


XVIII 

GOD  SO   LOVED  THE   WORLD 

For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  He  gave  His  only 
begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  Him  should 
not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life. — St.  John  3: 16. 

So  beautiful  and  so  perfect  is  this  text,  that  to 
preach  from  it  seems  almost  like  an  attempt  to 
deepen  the  colour  of  the  violet,  or  to  brighten  the 
burnished  gold,  or  to  add  lustre  to  the  newly  cut 
diamond,  or  to  polish  the  swift  flying  sunbeam. 
Yet  we  are  justified  in  this  study  by  the  fact  that 
we  do  not  try  to  add  anything  of  human  word 
or  thought,  but  rather  to  take  from  it  the  great 
life  lessons. 

This  is  the  best  known  and  most  loved  of  all 
the  verses  in  the  Bible.  To  everyone  it  is  some- 
thing, to  some  it  is  everything.  To  one  it  is  like 
the  love  call  of  the  bird  to  its  mate,  when  lost 
in  the  forest.  To  another  it  is  like  the  opening 
day  with  reddening  sky  and  bursting  light,  the 
revealer  of  unnumbered  blessings.  To  another 
it  is  like  the  sun  shining,  in  all  his  noonday 
glory;  and  to  another  it  is  like  the  opening  of 
the  door  of  heaven. 

It  has  brought  peace  to  the  human  hearjt  in 
every  land  for  eighteen  hundred  years.  Yet  its 
237 


238       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

message  is  always  new.  The  sweet  perfume  from 
the  rose,  which  you  now  enjoy  is  not  the  same 
as  that  of  yesterday,  though  it  may  seem  the 
same.  The  hght  flashed  from  the  diamond  and 
flying  from  the  sun  at  this  instant  is  not  the 
same  as  that  of  a  moment  ago,  though  the  eye 
may  not  detect  the  difference.  So  this  text  has 
new  lessons  for  us  though  it  has  filled  the  work! 
with  peace,  and  charmed  the  soul  of  man  for  cen- 
turies. 

Every  one  should  be  interested  in  this  text 
for  it  contains  as  its  subjects  the  three  greatest 
persons  of  time  and  eternity ;  that  is,  God,  Christ, 
and  man ;  and  because  it  contains  as  its  predicates 
the  three  greatest  acts  of  time  and  eternity — that 
is  God  loving,  Christ  saving  and  man  believing 
and  being  saved.  It  is  this  double  trinity  of  truth 
which  is  now  to  engage  our  attention. 

I.  God  so  loved  the  world. 

You  might  write,  in  a  general  way,  as  a  com- 
pletion of  that  phrase,  everything  good  in  the 
world,  for  all  good  is  the  act  of  God  because  He 
loves  us. 

God  so  loved  the  world  that  He  arranged  the 
times,  and  seasons,  and  provided  the  winds,  and 
the  seas  and  the  tides,  and  the  balancing  of  all 
forces.  God  so  loved  the  world  that  He  has  sown 
the  seeds  of  good  broadcast  in  the  earth,  so  that 
though  there  be  briars  and  thorns,  there  are  also 
lilies   and   roses;   though  there    be    weeds    and 


God  So  Loved  the  World  239 

thistles  there  are  also  grains  and  grasses;  and 
over  them  waves  like  a  banner,  and  in  them  like 
a  safe-locked  gem  is  this  promise  that  while  man 
lives,  seed  time  and  harvest,  summer  and  winter 
shall  never  cease. 

God  so  loved  the  world  that  though  there  be 
weeping  and  wailing  in  one  home,  in  ten  are 
heard  the  sound  of  singing  and  the  shout  of 
gladness. 

God  so  loved  the  world  that  His  own  people 
shall  not  stand  on  the  brink  of  earth's  rivers  and 
tasting  say  with  those  of  long  ago — Marah,  it  is 
bitter,  for  the  tree  of  life  has  been  cast  in,  and 
the  water  is  sweet. 

God  so  loved  the  world,  that  His  people  shall 
not  stand  one  or  five  thousand  strong,  and  faint 
of  hunger  when  they  have  followed  their  Master, 
as  did  those  of  His  own  day,  to  hear  His  word, 
but  they  shall  all  be  fed  and  there  shall  be  many 
basketsfull  remaining. 

God  so  loved  the  world  that  in  the  ten  com- 
mandments He  has  set  a  bound  to  every  human 
action,  and  says,  as  to  the  waves  of  the  sea, 

"  Thus  far  shalt  thou  come  and  no  further, 
and  here  shall  thy  proud  waves  be  stayed." 

God  so  loved  the  world  that  He  has  made  His 
Word  so  plain  that  he  who  runs  may  read; 
that  is,  that  he  who  rushes  to  his  business 
in  the  morning  and  rushes  back  again  in  the 
evening,  may  read  the  truth  as  easily  as  he  reads 
the  sign  boards  along  the  way. 


240       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

And  all  this  that  the  greatest  act  of  His  infinite 
love  might  be  a  success  among  men,  that  He 
might  send  His  only  begotten  Son  who  came 
between  us  and  God's  righteous  wrath.  Someone 
had  to  come  between,  if  we  were  to  live.  Adam 
in  Eden  proved  this  when  he  hid  away  from  the 
presence  of  God  putting  the  trees  and  even  the 
leaves  between  himself  and  his  God.  Every  man 
proves  this  who  tries  to  put  time  or  space  or 
his  own  thought  or  anything  between  himself 
and  his  God.  So  God  puts  His  own  Son  between 
His  wrath  and  us.  It  is  like  the  son,  who  in  the 
home  has  wantonly  violated  his  privileges  and 
dishonoured  his  parents;  when  every  impulse  of 
justice  says,  "  Smite,  smite,"  and  yet  love  holds 
back  the  father's  hand  and  he  says,  "  Mother,  you 
go  and  talk  to  him  till  my  anger  cools."  And  the 
mother  becomes  the  intercessor.  So  when  the 
anger  of  God  was  justly  aroused.  He  sent  His 
Son  to  help  us,  and  when  He  had  to  strike  as 
He  did,  Christ,  instead  of  us,  received  the  blow. 

So  in  this  greatest  act  of  Christ,  in  the  best 
way,  He  reveals  God.  It  is  the  full  sized  picture 
of  the  Almighty  restraining  His  anger,  not  be- 
cause He  is  moody  and  petulant  but  because  He 
is  great  and  strong,  and  hates  sin.  Greater  than 
to  smite  is  it  to  have  the  power  to  smite,  when 
that  would  be  just,  and  yet  to  withhold  the  hand 
and  give  blessings  instead.  It  is  this  mighty  love 
of  God  that  put  Christ  between  Himself  and  us 
and  made  Him  to  bear  our  sins  and  suffer  for 


God  So  Loved  the  World  241 

us  in  our  place.  He  is  indeed  our  intercessor, 
going— staying— between ;  for  we  are  told  that  He 
is  at  the  right  hand  of  the  Father  forever  to  in- 
tercede. Man  loves  the  world  for  what  he  can 
get  out  of  it.  God  loves  the  world  for  what  He 
can  put  into  it,  and  hence  He  sent  His  best.  His 
only  begotten  Son.  Such  love  goes  beyond  the 
measure  of  the  surveyor's  chain,  surpasses  all  the 
possible  computations  of  Euclid,  has  a  wider 
swing  than  the  sun  and  stars,  outruns  man's 
fleetest  imagination  outflies  God's  swiftest 
angels.  It  is  God's  infinite  love  which  is  so  great 
that  it  touches  all  life  somewhere  and  somehow. 

"  Could  we  with  ink  the  ocean  fill, 

Were  the  whole  world  of  parchment  made. 
Were  every  single  stick,  a  quill, 

And  every  man  a  scribe; 
To  write  the  love  of  God  alone 

Would  drain  the  ocean  dry, 
Nor  could  the  scroll  contain  the  whole. 

Though  stretched  from  sky  to  sky." 

II.  He  gave  His  only  begotten  Son. 

A  little  German  girl,  it  is  said,  went  into  her 
father's  printing  office  one  day,  when  they  were 
printing  the  Bible,  and  taking  up  a  piece  of  paper 
from  the  floor  read,  ''For  God  so  loved  the 
world  that  He  gave,"— then  she  stopped  for  the 
rest  was  torn  away.  So  she  went  to  her  father 
to  have  him  finish  the  sentence.  And  when  she 
had  heard  all,  she  said  she  thought  it  was  strange 


2^.2       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

that  God  should  give  anything  and  especially  His 
Son,  the  best  He  had. 

It  is  to  read  the  rest  of  the  sentence  that  we 
are  here. 

God  gave,  not  sold,  His  Son.  It  cost  Him  a 
great  deal.  So  far  as  we  know  this  is  the  only 
thing  that  cost  God  greatly  and  this  cost  Him  the 
most.  Look  around  and  you  will  see  that  nature 
cost  Him  little  or  nothing.  It  was  a  pleasure  to 
Him  to  create  the  worlds,  sending  them  forth, 
each  into  its  appointed  place ;  for  He  merely  spoke 
and  it  was  done.  Providence,  sustaining  and  pro- 
viding for  all  things  costs  Him  nothing  for  that 
is  His  nature.  So  generous  is  His  great  heart, 
that  He  provides  for  and  takes  care,  sometimes 
in  the  best  way,  of  His  worst  enemies.  He  likens 
Himself  to  the  sun  which  shines  on  the  evil  and 
on  the  good;  and  to  the  rain  which  falls  on  the 
just  and  unjust.  Yes,  His  providence  is  His 
nature. 

But  when  you  come  to  His  grace,  you  find 
that  it  cost  Him,  not  only  the  coming  of  His 
Son  into  the  world,  away  from  the  glories  of 
heaven,  but  also  the  disgrace  of  His  most  hu- 
miliating death. 

Hence  it  is  that  God  suffers  when  He  yearns 
over  the  sinner,  as  is  proved  by  the  most  vivid 
pictures  in  the  Bible ;  as  when  David  cries  out  for 
his  son  Absalom  who  had  been  fighting  against 
him  and  who  had  driven  the  old  king  here  and 
there  as  a  fugitive,  when  he  was  a  righteous  king, 


God  So  Loved  the  World  243 

"  O  Absalom,  Absalom,  would  God  I  had  died 
for  thee,  O  Absalom,  my  son,  my  son."  So  God 
suffers.  Again  we  have  the  picture  in  Luke  the 
fifteenth  chapter  where  the  father  of  the  prodigal 
watches  all  that  time  for  his  wayward  boy — look- 
ing and  longing  for  his  return.  He  sees  him 
afar  off  before  anyone  else  ever  sees  him,  and 
His  great  heart  cries  out  in  gladness  when  the 
son  comes.  So  God  does  not  wish  that  any 
should  perish  but  that  all  should  come  and  be 
saved. 

Lately  there  has  appeared  in  the  world  a  living 
wonder,  a  mere  girl,  Helen  Keller,  deaf,  dumb, 
and  blind,  who  has  gone  into  the  literary  world 
and  walked  among  the  most  difficult  problems,  as 
a  florist  would  walk  in  a  garden  of  roses.  She 
has  carried  off  nearly  all  the  prizes  in  sight  of 
people  who  had  good  eyes,  as  easily  as  Sampson 
carried  off  the  gates  of  Gaza.  But  more  wonder- 
ful is  Miss  Sullivan  who  teaches  Helen  Keller, 
for  she  undertook  the  apparently  hopeless  task  of 
waking  a  sleeper,  to  whom  she  could  not  call  for 
she  was  deaf,  whose  voice  she  could  not  hear  be- 
cause she  is  dumb,  and  who  seemed  in  every  way 
beyond  human  reach.  But  Miss  Sullivan  had  a 
pity  and  a  love  for  her  so  she  made  the  attempt. 
At  first  Miss  Keller  resisted  every  attempt  until 
Miss  Sullivan  had  to  conquer  her  by  physical 
force.  Night  and  day  for  seven  long  weeks  she 
watched  by  her  side  to  catch  the  first  sign  of 
life  in  that  seemingly  dead    soul.      It    was    the 


244       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

hardest  work  she  ever  did,  she  says;  but  at  the 
end  of  that  time  the  sleeper  began  to  stir,  then 
to  arise,  then  life  became  a  tremendous  power. 
It  was  like  one  clothed  with  new  endowments. 
She  hungered,  and  almost  fought  for  more 
knowledge  until  they  had  to  restrain  her  eager- 
ness. 

So  God  comes  in  His  sympathy  and  love  to 
rouse  us  from  the  dead.  How  hard  it  is — only 
infinite  love  could  stand  the  strain,  for  He  comes 
to  us  while  we  are  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins 
and  bears  with  us,  not  for  seven  weeks  alone,  but 
for  months  and  years,  yea  for  life.  At  first  we 
are  obstinate  and  sullen,  like  the  blind  girl,  then 
we  begin  to  feel  the  new  life  coming  in,  then  we 
hunger  and  thirst  for  the  things  we  once  hated; 
and  rising  up  into  new  life,  we  love  the  God  who 
so  loved  us  as  to  give  His  only  begotten  Son  that 
we  might  live. 

Is  God  touched  with  our  needy  condition? 
Will  God  save  us? 

What  can  it  mean?    Is  it  aught  to  Him 
That  the  nights  are  long  and  the  days  are  dim? 
Can  He  be  touched  by  the  griefs  I  bear 
Which,  sadden  the  heart  and  whiten  the  hair? 
Around  His  throne  are  eternal  calms 
And  strong  glad  music  of  happy  psalms, 
And  bliss  unruffled  by  any  strife — 
How  can  He  care  for  my  poor  life? 

And  yet  I  want  Him  to  care  for  me, 
While  I  live  in  the  world  where  sorrows  be. 


God  So  Loved  the  World 


245 


When  the  lights  die  down  on  the  path  I  take, 
And  strength   is  feeble  and  friends  forsake, 
When  love  and  music  that  once  did  bless, 
Have  left  me  to  silence  and  loneliness ; 
And  life's-song  changes  to  sobbing  prayers — 
Then  my  heart  cries  out  for  the  God  who  cares. 

When  shadows  hang  o'er  me  the  whole  day  long, 
And  my  spirit  is  bowed  with  shame  and  wrong, 
When  I  am  not  good  and  the  deeper  shade 
Of  conscious  sin  makes  my  heart  afraid; 
And  the  busy  world  has  too  much  to  do 
To  stay  in  its  course  to  help  me  through; 
And  I  long  for  a  Saviour — can  it  be 
That  the  God  of  the  universe  cares  for  me?  '* 

O  wonderful  story  of  deathless  love, 

Each  child  is  dear  to  the  Heart  above, 

He  fights  for  me  when  I  can  not  fight. 

He  comforts  me  in  the  gloom  of  night, 

He  lifts  the  burden  for  He  is  strong, 

He  stills  the  sigh  and  wakens  the  song. 

The    sorrows    that    bow    me    down    He  bears, 

And  loves  and  pardons,  because  He  cares." 

III.  Everlasting  life.  "  That  whosoever  be- 
lieveth  in  Him  should  not  perish  but  have 
everlasting  life." 

Everlasting  life?  You  could  not  expect  less 
of  an  everlasting  God.  He  gives  it  on  two  ever- 
lasting principles,  that  of  His  own  love,  "  For 
God  so  loved,"  and  that  of  His  Son's  life,  "  That 
He  gave  His  only  begotten  Son." 

To  keep  the  temporal  life  going  man  spends 
six  days  out  of  seven — and  some  spend  the  sev- 


246       The  Message  of  To- Morrow 

enth  also, — 313  out  of  365  days,  and  then  the 
body  almost  breaks  down  and  often  comes  with 
clatter  and  clank,  like  an  old  conveyance  to  each 
succeeding  mile  post,  barely  making  the  goal. 

But  everlasting  life  is  like  the  mariner  who 
stands  on  the  bridge  of  his  ship,  braving  the 
storms  that  come  and  go,  heeding  not  the  rocks 
that  are  hidden  in  the  watery  ways  of  the  deep, 
for  he  is  sure  he  will  enter  the  homing  port.  It 
is  like  the  eagle  that  rises  from  the  shadowy  wood- 
land, and  in  defiance  of  earth's  conditions,  swings 
itself  into  the  higher  air,  and  into  the  very  eye 
of  the  sun.  Everlasting  life  is  the  outlay  of  God 
in  the  person  of  His  own  Son  who  stays  the  hand 
of  vengeance  until  the  hand  of  mercy  has  min- 
istered and  ministered  even  to  seventy  times 
seven,  and  until  forgiveness  has  run  out  into  in- 
finite enumeration.  The  everlasting  outlay  of 
God  means  the  everlasting  life  of  man. 

Now  there  is  something  in  every  one  to  remind 
God  of  this,  if  He  ever  could  forget,  which  He 
cannot, — that  is,  His  image  which  we  bear,  and 
by  which  we  are  like  Him.  The  night  was  never 
so  dark  but  there  is  somewhere  a  glimmer  of  light, 
which  tells  of  the  star  from  which  it  came.  The 
coin  can  not  go  so  far  from  its  own  country  into 
any  land  on  earth  as  to  lose  the  image  of  its  au- 
thor and  owner.  But  it  must  be  brought  back 
again  to  its  own  land  before  it  can  pass  currency 
and  be  of  use. 

No  man  has  gone  so  far  from  God  that  God 


God  So  Loved  the  World  247 

can  not  find  in  him  this  image  and  superscription 
of  the  royalty  of  heaven,  and  God's  chief  busi- 
ness among  men  is  to  bring  man  back  to  the  place 
where  he  may  be  of  value  to  himself  and  his 
God.  When  God  sees  this  image,  He  sees  it  not 
as  it  would  appear  to  the  eye  of  man,  but  as  it 
appears  to  His  own  perfect  eye.  He  sees  the 
work  in  its  finished  form,  with  all  possibilities 
realized  and  all  hopes  crowned  with  a  golden 
crown,  and  we  are  complete  in  Him. 

When  God  created  Adam,  that  was  not  the 
end,  else  He  would  have  said,  let  us  make  Adam 
in  our  image  and  likeness,  nor  was  Moses  or 
David  or  Paul  the  end,  else  He  would  have  said 
let  us  make  these.  But  He  did  say,  "  Let  us 
make  man."  There  was  a  wide  horizon  for  a 
great  possibility.  What  might  not  man  then  be- 
come? So  God  loves  to  look  at  what  we  may 
become.  He  sees  past  the  blotches  and  blurs 
and  wrinkles  and  wounds  and  scars,  to  the  best 
that  is  in  us  and  before  us.  The  more  divine  we 
become  the  less  do  we  see  each  other's  defects. 

There  was  a  rejected  block  of  marble  in  the 
chip  yard  of  one  of  the  great  artists  of  Florence. 
It  had  been  rejected  by  all  the  great  men  of  that 
great  city.  But  there  came  by  a  mere  boy,  and 
looking  upon  it  he  saw  something  wonderful. 

The  marble  was  chipped  and  cracked  and 
seamed  and  discoloured,  but  he  saw  it  not,  for 
only  that  wonderful  image  rose  before  him.  He 
began  work  upon  it,  and  for  months  kept  steadily 


(248       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

at  his  work,  seeing  only  that  beautiful  thing 
which  no  one  else  could  see.  All  the  while  the 
older  artists  laughed  at  him  for  wasting  his  time. 
But  when  they  removed  the  scaffolding  and  took 
away  the  chips  and  brushed  off  the  dust  and  dis- 
played the  most  wonderful  statue  of  David  the 
young  shepherd  boy,  they  all  stood  in  amazement 
and  said :  "  Michael  Angelo," — for  it  was  he, — 
"  thou  hast  made  an  eternal  thing."  And  you 
will  almost  think  so  too  if  you  will  go  to  Florence 
and  see  it  as  it  now  stands,  supreme  over  all 
sculpturing  in  that  great  city. 

So  God  sees  the  most  wonderful  thing  in  the 
life  rejected  by  man,  and  sets  about  to  bring  it 
out,  on  and  on  He  works,  though  man  may  jeer 
and  mock,  until  that  new  creation  stands  crowned 
with  an  everlasting  crown,  and  is  a  king  forever. 

It  is  a  better  life  than  that  of  Eden,  for  that 
was  in  man's  hand  and  could  be  thrown  away, 
and  was  thrown  away.  But  this  life  which  we 
live  in  Him  is  in  God's  hands,  and  no  one  shall 
ever  pluck  it  out. 

This  is  the  only  kind  of  life  which  is  eternal, 
and  can  perpetuate  itself.  Machinery  will  rattle 
and  bang  and  break  down  some  time,  the  bird 
will  one  day  cease  to  fly,  though  it  may  have 
passed  from  continent  to  continent.  Man  will 
cease  from  being  on  this  earth,  though  he  may 
have  passed  one  hundred  mile-stones.  But  here 
is  a  life  that  goes  on  and  on,  in  spite  of  days  and 
years  and  time  and  eternity.    The  only  true  per- 


God  So  Loved  the  World  249 

petual  motion  is  the  life  of  God  in  the  soul  ever 
moving  and  carrying  it  on  toward  a  fuller  realiza- 
tion. Now  the  earth  is  just  the  soil  in  which  this 
life  is  to  grow,  but  its  product  is  not  to  be  of  the 
earth,  as  the  wheat  is  not  like  the  soil  from  which 
it  springs.  From  the  worst  decay  of  swamps  and 
rivers  rise  the  snow-white  water  lilies,  spreading 
themselves  in  the  sunlight  like  fairy  ships  of 
beauty.  So  we  grow  amid  the  death  and  decay  of 
this  world,  ourselves  rising  higher  and  higher 
into  the  pure  life  of  God,  because  we  have  ever- 
lasting life  in  Him. 

An  old  fable  says  a  monk  in  other  days  looked 
so  long  and  intently  upon  the  image  of  the  cruci- 
fied Saviour  that  the  print  of  the  nails  came  into 
his  hands.  This  may  be  a  fable  as  to  the  monk's 
hands,  but  it  is  a  fact  as  to  the  soul  that  looks 
upon  Him,  for  "  when  we  see  Him,  we  shall  be 
like  Him,  for  we  shall  see  Him  as  He  is." 

Here  then  lies  the  secret  of  final  rewards — 
that  is,  in  everlasting  life,  for  we  shall  carry 
nothing  to  heaven  save  that  which  has  taken  hold 
of  the  soul. 

It  is  not  how  much  money  have  you,  but  how 
much  have  you  translated  into  life;  not  how 
much  power  do  you  hold,  but  how  much  have 
you  arranged  to  keep;  not  how  much  sway 
have  you  over  the  hearts  and  lives  of  man,  but 
how  much  sway  over  yourself,  and  how  much 
sway  has  God  over  you. 

And  the  way  is  perfectly  open  to  this.     God 


250       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

does  not  say,  ''  Ask  and  ye  shall  receive,"  and 
then  when  the  hand  is  extended  for  the  needed 
favour,  smite  the  hand  instead  of  giving  the  gift. 
God  says,  "  Knock  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you," 
and  no  man  ever  knocked  and  then  had  the  door 
of  Providence  slammed  in  his  face.  God  never 
said  to  anyone,  "  Come  unto  Me  all  ye  that  are 
weary," — and  then  when  they  came  sent  them  out 
again  into  a  busy  world  to  carry  the  burdens  for 
beggars  and  loafers.  God  has  made  ample  pro- 
vision for  everlasting  life.  You  ought  to  clothe 
the  body  well,  but  you  ought  to  clothe  the  soul 
better,  for  it  has  a  longer  life  to  live.  You  ought 
to  feed  the  body  well,  but  you  ought  to  feed  the 
soul  better,  for  it  has  a  longer  race  to  run.  You 
ought  to  teach  the  hand  well,  but  you  ought  to 
teach  the  soul  better,  for  it  has  a  greater  work  to 
do.  You  ought  to  set  before  the  eye  a  bright 
star  of  hope,  but  you  ought  to  set  before  the  soul 
an  eternal  light,  for  the  soul  shall  live  forever. 

Come  then  you  who  are  misunderstood  and 
misrepresented  and  who  seem  to  have  failed  on 
earth,  and  you  will  find  your  success  in  heaven. 
Come  those  who  have  approached  near  to  the 
edge  of  the  grave,  with  empty  hands,  but  full 
hearts.  Come  those  from  whom  is  fading  the 
light  of  this  world,  and  behold  the  light  from 
heaven  which  never  pales  as  does  the  star,  and 
which  never  sets  as  does  the  sun.  Come  those 
who  have  forgotten  most  of  the  things  of  earth 
which  come  fluttering  by  like  birds  of  October  in 


God  So  Loved  the  World  251 

their  flight  to  the  sunny  southland,  come  all  of 
you,  and  receive  the  reward  that  will  never 
perish  and  never  pass  away.  "  For  God  so  loved 
the  world  that  He  gave  His  only  begotten  Son  that 
whosoever  believeth  in  Him  should  not  perish, 
but  have  everlasting  life."  This  is  the  grand 
consummation  toward  which  we  are  surely  going. 
We  are  like  the  ship  in  the  gulf  stream,  headed 
for  a  northern  port.  On  the  prow  are  our  hopes 
and  aspirations,  our  longings  of  the  better  na- 
ture, like  free  men  looking  anxiously  for  the 
harbour,  and  watching  the  star,  that  progress  may 
be  made  aright.  While  down  in  the  hold  of  the 
ship  Hke  prisoners,  are  anger,  and  hatred,  and 
jealousy, — the  lower  powers  of  the  nature.  Yet 
all  are  going,  for  the  gulf  stream  bears  us  up,  and 
the  wind  hurries  us  along.  But  e'er  long  the 
prisoners  shall  be  set  free,  and  shall  join  those 
on  the  outlook  for  the  harbour.  So  the  whole 
man — complete  and  strong,  with  face  set  to  an 
eternal  future,  shall  come  safely  into  the  homing 
port,  and  we  shall  know  God — for  "  this  is  life 
eternal  that  ye  may  know  Thee  and  Jesus  Christ 
whom  Thou  hast  sent."  ''  For  God  so  loved,  and 
Christ  so  died,  and  man  so  believes  and  is  saved." 

"  Take  heart  O  soul  of  sorrow  and  be  strong, 
There  is  one  greater  than  this  whole  world's  wrong, 
'  Tis  no  avail  to  bargain,  sneer  and  nod, 
And  shrug  the  shoulders  in  reply  to  God. 
Be  still  before  this  high  benignant  power 
That  moves  wool-shod  thro'    sepulchre  and  tower." 


XIX 

THE    GREAT    RANSOM 

The  Son  of  man  came  ...  to  give  His  life  a  ran- 
som for  many. — Matthew  20:  28. 

It  has  long  since  been  conceded  that  "  God  so 
loved  the  world  that  He  gave  His  only  begotten 
Son  that  whosoever  believeth  on  Him  should  not 
perish  but  have  everlasting  life."  But  all  have 
not  realized  that  it  was  a  free  act  on  the  part 
of  Christ.  This  is  the  lesson  of  the  text,  "  The 
Son  of  man  came  to  give  Himself  a  ransom  for 
many."  It  is  not  the  vision  of  a  God  in  the  pleni- 
tude of  His  power,  holding  vast  and  absolute  sway 
with  every  possible  show  of  authority;  but  it  is 
the  vision  of  the  Great  God  disrobing  Himself, 
laying  aside  His  sceptre,  and  coming  down  from 
His  throne  to  the  level  of  fallen  humanity. 

It  was  a  question  of  human  rights,  of  prefer- 
ment and  honour,  that  had  just  been  discussed  be- 
fore Christ  voiced  these  words.  The  mother  of 
the  Zebedee  boys  went  to  Christ  to  ask  that  her 
two  sons  might  sit  the  one  on  His  right  hand 
and  the  other  on  His  left,  in  His  kingdom.  Poor 
woman ;  she  did  not  know  that  such  places  are 
attained  not  by  mere  gift,  but  by  the  payment  in 
suffering  and  endurance,  of  one's  very  life.  Christ 
252 


The  Great  Ransom  253 

the  Son  of  God  reached  the  highest  point  of  worth 
and  honour  ever  known  on  earth;  He  has  the 
highest  place  in  heaven,  at  the  right  hand  of  the 
Father,  but  these  He  attained  through  the  deep- 
est, darkest  suffering. 

I.  The  Son  of  man  gave  His  life. 

This  is  the  last  thing  that  man  is  willing  to 
give  for  his  fellow  man, — his  life.  It  is  the  first 
thing  that  God  bestows.  It  was  not  that  Christ 
did  not  enjoy  His  Father's  presence  in  heaven, 
that  He  came  on  earth ;  it  was  not  that  He  was 
insensible  to  suffering  and  pain  that  He  came; 
it  was  not  that  man  deserved  or  dared  to  ask 
anything,  but  because  first  of  all  He  could  not 
bear  to  see  suffering. 

It  was  His  habit  to  go  where  He  might  find 
the  sick,  and  the  lame,  and  the  blind,  and  the  pal- 
sied, that  He  might  relieve  them  of  their  diseases. 
It  was  because  of  His  great  desire  to  save  life. 
Somehow  His  tender  heart  was  touched  with 
the  cry  of  the  sufferers  from  earth,  and  He  at 
once  gave  His  life  for  them. 

"  It  was  a  hot  day  in  July  1864,  and  Gen.  Grant 
was  after  us,"  said  an  old  Confederate.  "  Our 
men  had  hurriedly  dug  rifle-pits  to  protect  them- 
selves from  the  Federal  sharpshooters,  and  dead 
and  dying  Feds  were  lying  up  to  the  very  edge 
of  those  pits. 

"  In  one  of  the  pits  was  an  ungainly,  raw,  red- 
headed boy.  He  was  a  retiring  lad,  green  as  grass, 


254       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

but  a  reliable  fighter.  We  never  paid  much  at- 
tention to  him,  one  way  or  another. 

"  The  wounded  had  been  lying  for  hours  un- 
attended before  the  pits,  and  the  sun  was  getting 
hotter  and  hotter.  They  were  suffering  horribly 
from  pain  and  thirst.  Not  fifteen  feet  away,  out- 
side the  rifle-pit,  lay  a  mortally  wounded  officer 
who  was  our  enemy. 

"  As  the  heat  grew  more  intolerable,  this  of- 
ficer's cries  for  water  increased.  He  was  evi- 
dently dying  hard,  and  his  appeals  were  of  the 
most  piteous  nature.  The  red-headed  boy  found 
it  hard  to  bear  them.  He  had  just  joined  the  regi- 
ment and  was  not  yet  callous  to  suffering.  At 
last,  with  tears  flooding  his  grimy  face,  he  cried 
out: 

"  '  I  can't  stand  it  no  longer,  boys !  I'm  goin' 
to  take  that  poor  feller  my  canteen.' 

"  For  answer  to  this  foolhardy  speech,  one  of 
us  stuck  a  cap  on  a  ramrod  and  hoisted  it  above 
the  pit.  Instantly  it  was  pierced  by  a  dozen  bul- 
lets. To  venture  outside  a  step  was  the  maddest 
suicide.  And  all  the  while  we  could  hear  the 
officer's  moans : 

"  '  Water !  water !  Just  one  drop,  for  God's 
sake,  somebody  !    Only  one  drop ! ' 

"  The  tender-hearted  boy  could  stand  the  ap- 
peal no  longer.  Once,  twice,  three  times,  in  spite 
of  our  utmost  remonstrance,  he  tried  unsuccess- 
fully to  clear  the  pit.  At  last  he  gave  a  desperate 
leap  over  the  embankment,  and  once  on  the  other 


The  Great  Ransom  255 

side,  threw  himself  flat  upon  the  ground  and 
crawled  toward  his  dying  foe.  He  could  not  get 
close  to  him  because  of  the  terrible  fire,  but  he 
broke  a  sumac  bush,  tied  to  the  stick  his  precious 
canteen,  and  landed  it  in  the  sufferer's  trembling 
hands. 

''  You  never  heard  such  gratitude  in  your  life. 
Perhaps  there  was  never  any  like  it  before.  The 
officer  was  for  tying  his  gold  watch  on  the  stick 
and  sending  it  back  as  a  slight  return  for  the 
disinterested  act.  But  this  the  boy  would  not 
allow.  He  only  smiled  happily,  and  returned,  as 
he  had  gone,  crawling  amid  a  hailstorm  of  bullets. 
When  he  reached  the  edge  of  the  pit,  he  called 
out  to  his  comrades  to  clear  the  way  for  him, 
and  with  a  mighty  leap  he  was  among  us  once 
more.     He  was  not  even  scratched. 

"  He  took  our  congratulations  calmly.  We  said 
it  was  the  bravest  deed  we  had  seen  during  the 
war.  He  did  not  answer.  His  eyes  had  a  soft, 
musing  look. 

"  '  How  could  you  do  it?  '  I  asked  in  a  whisper 
later,  when  the  crack  of  the  rifles  ceased  for  a 
moment. 

"  *  It  was  something  I  thought  of,*  he  said, 
simply.  '  Something  my  mother  used  to  say  to 
me.  ''  I  was  thirsty,  and  ye  gave  Me  drink,"  she 
said.  She  read  it  to  me  out  of  the  Bible,  and  she 
taught  it  to  me  until  I  never  could  forget  it. 
When  I  heard  that  man  crying  for  water  I  re- 
membered it.    The  words  stood  still  in  my  head. 


2^6       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

I  couldn't  get  rid  of  'em.  So  I  thought  they 
meant  me — and  I  went.     That's  all/ 

"  This  was  the  reason  why  the  boy  was  ready 
to  sacrifice  his  life  for  an  enemy.  And  it  was 
reason  enough,"  added  the  soldier,  with  a  quaver- 
ing voice. 

So  it  was  Christ  who  could  not  bear  to  hear 
the  cry  of  His  enemies.  He  knew  He  was  the 
only  one  who  could  help,  so  He  gladly  came. 

"  He  saw  me  ruined  in  the  fall, 
He  flew  to  my  rehef." 

But  He  gave  His  life  because  those  to  be  saved 
are  related  to  Him,  though  enemies.  We  are  all 
children  in  the  great  family  of  God.  There  is 
no  earthly  parent  who  will  carelessly  see  his  child 
leave  home  and  go  out  into  suffering.  His  mind 
will  attend  him,  and  if  there  be  an  older  brother 
he  will  most  likely  be  sent  to  find  him  and  bring 
the  wanderer  home.  And  Christ  is  this  One  who 
comes  to  recover  us  from  the  lost  condition.  A 
faint  picture  of  this  is  given  in  an  incident  which 
occurred  five  days  after  the  terrible  flood  at  Johns- 
town, Pa.,  in  1889,  when  so  many  lives  were  lost. 

A  daily  paper  of  that  time  says : 

"  The  first  body  taken  from  the  ruins  this 
morning  was  that  of  a  boy  named  Davis,  who  was 
found  in  the  debris  near  the  bridge.  He  was 
badly  bruised  and  burned. 

*'  The  remains  were  taken  to  the  undertaking 
rooms  at  the  P.  R.  R.  station,  where  they  were 


The  Great  Ransom  257 

identified  as  those  of  Willie  Davis.  The  boy's 
mother  had  been  making  a  tour  of  the  different 
morgues  for  the  past  few  days,  and  was  just 
going  through  the  undertaking  rooms,  when  she 
saw  the  remains  of  her  boy  being  brought  in. 
She  ran  up  and  demanded  the  remains,  and 
seemed  to  have  lost  her  mind.  She  caused  quite 
a  scene  by  her  actions,  but  calmed  down  after  a 
while  and  stated  that  she  had  lost  her  husband 
and  six  children  in  the  flood  and  that  this  was  the 
first  one  of  the  family  that  had  been  recovered. 
She  said  she  had  not  slept  a  wink  since  Saturday, 
and  had  visited  the  different  morgues  at  least 
100  times." 

Sad  story,  this.  She  was  looking  for  her  own, 
and  how  she  endured  those  wakeful  days  and 
nights  in  the  midst  of  that  awful  desolation  to 
find  them.  So  it  is  that  Christ  has  come  forth 
into  a  desolate  storm-swept  earth,  that  He  may 
find  and  redeem  His  own.  He  is  our  Elder 
Brother;  and  would  not  a  brother  help  one  who 
belongs  to  the  same  family? 

Then  He  gave  His  life  to  establish  His  great 
cause. 

Some  time  ago,  it  is  said,  a  young  clerk  in  a 
drug  store  in  Baltimore,  began  the  study  of  medi- 
cine and  surgery.  His  active  mind  developed 
religious  as  well  as  scientific  enterprise,  and  both 
in  church  circles  and  among  the  poor  he  became 
known  as  a  working  Christian  and  "  a  born  doc- 
tor." 


258       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

After  about  five  years  of  practice  in  the  United 
States  Marine  Hospital,  his  fearless  missionary 
zeal  outgrew  his  place,  and  he  begged  the  Pres- 
byterian Board  of  Missions  to  send  him  to  the 
most  difficult  station  in  their  field.  They  sent 
him  to  Bangkok,  Siam. 

When  he  set  out  he  had  spent  every  dollar  of 
his  own  money  for  medicines,  surgical  instru- 
ments and  other  supplies,  and  several  wholesale 
druggists  had  generously  helped  him  to  stock  his 
"  chest."  With  this  outfit  and  the  small  pay 
of  a  foreign  missionary  to  depend  upon  for  his 
living,  he  reached  Bangkok,  and  opened  a  dis- 
pensary. 

His  skill  soon  gave  him  reputation,  and  in  less 
than  a  year  he  had  successfully  treated  over  three 
thousand  cases.  The  fame  of  his  work,  reached 
the  king,  who  sent  to  offer  him  the  position  of 
government  doctor — or  surgeon-general.  After 
long  hesitation,  with  the  approval  of  the  Presby- 
terian Board,  he  finally  accepted  the  office.  The 
salary  ^^as  seven  thousand  dollars  a  year,  but 
he  retained  only  his  usual  missionary  stipend, 
turning  all  the  rest  over  to  the  Board. 

The  new  position  gave  him  power  that  no  man 
could  use  better  than  he.  He  began  at  once  to 
organize  medical  schools  and  establish  hospitals ; 
and  his  plans  were  so  well  carried  out  that  within 
five  years  the  Siamese  ceased  to  send  their  young 
men  to  foreign  countries  to  be  educated  as  doc- 
tors.    His  wonderful  success  has  won  him  the 


The  Great  Ransom  259 

warmest  favour  of  the  king,  and  he  is  now  a  court 
physician.  The  Baltimore  doctor  is  still  a  Chris- 
tian missionary,  with  no  ambition  but  duty. 

How  like  that  One  who  came  from  heaven  not 
to  receive  money  but  to  establish  a  great  cause. 

I  read  a  few  days  ago  that  a  physician  in  St. 
Louis,  had  arranged  to  be  enclosed  with  a  leper 
in  a  pest  house,  to  nurse  the  man  who  had  this 
dreadful  disease.  He  bade  farewell  to  his  wife 
and  children  and  friends,  took  his  books  and 
papers  with  him  into  the  fatal  house. 

You  ask  why  was  he  so  foolish?  He  is  doing 
it,  we  are  told,  for  the  cause  of  science.  He  is 
to  make  the  experiments  and  record  the  results 
for  future  use  in  treating  such  cases.  He  is  to 
give  his  life  for  the  cause  of  medicine  and  in 
the  hope  of  relieving  other  sufferers.  What  a 
noble  ambition!  How  few  there  are,  who  would 
do  such  a  thing.  Yet  Christ  did  far  more  than 
that;  for  He  was  the  God  coming  to  help  man, 
instead  of  a  man  helping  his  fellow  man.  Christ 
was  like  the  Emperor  Menelik,  of  Abyssinia, 
who  has  for  a  long  time  given  great  attention  to 
Western  civilization,  and  has  recently  turned  his 
interest  to  fitting  himself  for  the  work  of  a 
physician.  He  spends  a  large  part  of  his  time 
in  a  hospital,  watching  with  keen  interest  the 
surgical  operations.  The  emperor  often  expresses 
astonishment  at  the  skill  of  the  surgeons,  and 
is  most  pleased  when  he  can  be  of  some  service 
to  them,  holding  a  limb  or  a  roll  of  bandages.    He 


26o       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

is  at  present  planning  to  build  an  immense  hos- 
pital at  Adis  Aheda,  the  capital  of  his  nation,  and 
when  it  is  finished  he  intends  to  take  the  entire 
control  of  the  surgical  department.  It  is  certainly 
a  royal  spirit  which  prompts  him  to  be  a  blessing 
to  his  subjects.  In  that  respect  he  is  following 
the  example  of  the  King  of  kings,  who  went 
about  doing  good. 

A  king  in  a  hospital!  What  a  sight!  And 
that  he  should  take  entire  control  of  the  surgical 
department.  Who  would  not  love  to  have  the 
skill  of  a  king  when  injured?  It  would  almost 
pay  to  be  injured  to  have  those  tender  hands  to 
help.  It  is  the  cause  of  a  king  that  is  being 
established.  So  it  is  that  Christ  the  King  of 
kings  comes  into  this  sinful  world,  this  hospital 
of  sickness  and  suffering  and  takes  charge  of  all, 
for  He  says  in  this  very  verse  with  the  text,  that 
He  comes  "  not  to  be  ministered  unto  but  to  min- 
ister." 

He  will  not  permit  any  one  to  do  His  work. 
We  will  be  cared  for  by  His  own  tender,  gentle 
hands  for  He  came  to  give  His  life  a  ransom 
for  us. 

II.  A  RANSOM.  The  Son  of  man  came  to  give 
His  life  a  ransom. 
"  Held  for  $25,000  ransom !  "  That  was  the 
news  flashed  over  the  country  from  Omaha,  some 
time  ago,  about  a  rich  man's  son.  But  this  was 
not  any  great  news.     The  same  story  might  be 


The  Great  Ransom  261 

read  on  the  face  and  in  the  life  of  every  son  of 
Adam  down,  except  One  who  became  the  ran- 
som for  many.  Everyone  was  sold  unto  sin,  and 
did  not  have  the  amount  asked  by  the  captors. 
The  challenge  to  Mr.  Cudehay  was  at  once  ac- 
cepted by  him  and  paid.  He  considered  it  a  hard 
bargain,  but  it  was  the  best  he  could  do;  and 
fortunately  for  the  boy  he  was  rich  enough  to  pay 
it. 

Sin  made  a  bold  challenge  to  the  Almighty. 
The  only  price  possible  was  the  life  of  His  only 
Son.  He  accepted  the  situation  and  fortunately 
for  us,  He  was  rich  enough  in  love  and  in  grace, 
and  so  He  paid  it.  No  wonder  the  angels  sang 
the  "  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,"  over  the  fields 
of  Bethlehem  when  Christ  came  a  ransom  for 
many.  Bought  back  again  by  the  Son  of  God, 
and  that  by  His  life!  No  wonder  rolling  time 
sustained  a  jar  that  changed  her  calendar ! 

Listen  all  ye  who  are  bound  by  habits  of  sin, 
evil  thoughts  and  life  of  failure,  Christ  has  come 
and  has  given  His  life  a  ransom.  He  has  paid 
the  full  price  and  no  sin  great  or  small  can  ever 
dispute  this.  Satan  himself  must  yield.  The 
villains  who  stole  the  rich  man's  son  in  Omaha, 
accepted  the  amount  and  were  honest  enough  to 
deliver  up  their  prey.  So,  sin  is  fair  enough  to 
yield — it  must  yield  when  the  full  price  in  the 
life  and  death  of  Christ  is  paid.  Only  let  us  see 
that  we  are  not  stolen  again  by  the  same  sin. 

This  story  comes   from     a  neighbouring  city, 


262       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

"  Sold  twice  as  a  slave  as  early  as  1824  and 
having  lived  in  three  centuries,  Mrs.  Susan 
Quinn,  colored,  loi  years  of  age,  is  lying  ill  at 
her  home. 

"  Mrs.  Quinn  was  born  in  Washington  in  1800 
and  resided  in  that  city  until  twenty  years  of 
age.  She  was  then  seized  and  bound  over  as  a 
slave.  Her  first  master  was  named  Tinser  Engle. 
Later  she  was  sold  to  another  slave  dealer,  a 
Frenchman,  named  Baron  Higgins.  After  keep- 
ing her  for  a  few  years  Higgins  set  her  free, 
when  she  was  about  thirty  years  of  age. 

She  did  not  enjoy  her  freedom  long  before  she 
was  again  seized,  but  she  sent  to  Washington  and 
secured  her  freedom  certificate,  upon  presentation 
of  which  her  captor  released  her." 

Beautiful  story,  that  when  the  old  habit,  the 
old  sin,  the  old  Devil,  lays  hands  on  us,  having 
been  ransomed  by  the  Son  of  God  who  gave  His 
life  for  us,  we  produce  our  "  freedom  certificate," 
and  the  captor  will  release  us. 

In  our  case  the  "  freedom  certificate  "  is  a  life, 
— the  life  of  the  Son  of  God.  So  well  is  this 
known  that  no  one  will  dispute  it  for  a  moment. 
Let  it  be  known  that  we  were  purchased;  not 
with  gold  or  silver  or  any  such  thing,  but  by  the 
precious  blood  of  Jesus,  and  the  power  of  sin 
will  flee. 

All  men  may  thus  understand  the  importance 
of  this  divine  ransom.  It  is  a  beautiful  quality 
when  seen  anywhere.     Who  does  not  admire  the 


The  Great  Ransom  263 

lion  that  dies  defending  his  young?  The  man 
who  IS  not  touched  with  the  loyahy  of  the  dog 
that  dies  to  save  his  master,  has  no  tender  feel- 
>ng.  The  httle  sparrow  fights  a  great  battle  when 
.t  darts  at  the  hawk  again  and  again  as  it  de- 
fends Its  young,  so  that  all  passing  by  say,  "  Truly 
It  IS  a  little  hero."  ^ 

But  when  the  Son  of  God  comes  and  stands 
between  us  and  the  calamity  of  the  ages,  that  is 
the  guilt  and  power  of  sin;  and  receives  its  effec; 
m  Himself  and  pays  the  full  price,  it  seems  that 
men  would  run  to  Him  to  accept  His  infinite  kind- 
ness, and  that  the  angels  must  weep  for  the  man 
who  passes  it  by.  The  whole  world  would  have 
scorned  the  youth  in  the  west,  who  was  stolen, 

=!•!  "n  ,.,f  ^'''  ^""^  P"'^  '^'  ^""  P"<=«'  he  had 
said,  O  I  11  not  accept  the  offer.  I  will  stay 
here  with  these  men  who  have  stolen  me  "  You 
say  he  would  be  a  fool!  Yes,  and  you  would 
be  right,  and  yet  he  would  be  a  Solomon  in  wis- 
dom compared  with  those  who  do  not  accept  the 
offer  o  Christ's  ransom.  They  will  one  dayfind 
themselves  the  colossal  fools  of  the  ages. 

III.  For  many. 

"The  Son  of  man  came  to  give  His  life  a 
ransom  for  many."  Why  not  for  all?  Because 
all  would  not  accept.  The  ransom  is  sufficient 
lor  all,  if  all  were  willing  to  receive  it 

We  are  told  that  when  the  negroes  of  the  South 
were  freed,  some  went  out  and  said  to  their  fel- 


264       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

lows  working  in  the  field,  "  We  are  free."  But 
the  others  gazed  in  wonder  and  said  nothing. 
They  said  again,  "  We  are  free  men ;  come  let 
us  give  three  cheers."  But  the  stupid  fellows  did 
not  cheer,  but  turned  to  their  work  and  refused 
to  be  liberated.  The  Emancipation  Proclamation 
was  meant  for  them  as  much  as  for  those  who  ac- 
cepted its  great  offer.  It  was  sufficient  for  all. 
So  the  great  ransom  of  God  in  Christ,  is  sufficient 
for  every  man,  woman  and  child  in  all  the  world. 
In  this  there  is  neither  Greek,  nor  Jew,  nor  Ro- 
man, nor  Turk  nor  American.  All  are  alike  be- 
fore God  so  far  as  the  grant  of  the  ransom  is 
concerned.  He  will  give  it  to  as  many  as  believe 
on  Him  and  do  His  gracious  will. 

Who  can  guess  the  happiness  of  the  ransomed  ? 
Who  can  tell  the  joy  that  filled  the  home  of  the 
Western  millionaire  when  his  son  returned  after 
he  had  been  ransomed  for  $25,000?  Who  can 
tell  of  the  gladness  with  which  one  returning  to 
Christ  shall  be  received.  No  wonder  they  killed 
the  fatted  calf  when  the  prodigal  returned!  No 
wonder  it  is  said  that  there  is  joy  in  heaven  over 
one  sinner  that  comes  home  to  His  Father's 
house.  Who  would  not  be  faithful  after  such  a 
ransom  ? 

General  Adams  told  me  that  when  he  com- 
manded at  Atlanta,  in  the  civil  war,  that  he  had 
just  mustered  out  a  number  of  men  who  had 
served  their  time,  with  many  who  were  sick  and 
wounded  and  disabled.     How  happy  were  these 


The  Great  Ransom  26c 

men,  who  now  had  their  freedom  from  further 
dangers  of  war !  Many  of  them  had  written  home 
saymg  that  they  would  soon  be  there.  But  just 
as  they  were  about  to  go,  the  enemy  came  upon 
them.  Then  they  all  ran  for  their  guns  and  the 
sick  and  well,  the  crippled  and  the  nimble,  alike 
rushed  upon  the  enemy  in  a  great  bayonet  charge. 
What  pleasure  it  gave  them  to  fight  for  the 
nation  that  was  paying  the  ransom  for  the  slaves 
and  granting  freedom.  With  what  joy  do  we 
serve  the  Son  of  God  who  came  to  give  His  life 
a  ransom  for  all  who  will  believe.  This  is  the 
picture  of  joy  which  Isaiah  spreads  before  us, 
beautiful  and  bright,  as  he  describes  in  prospect 
the  home  coming  of  Israel  from  bondage  and  as 
he  describes  the  final  home  coming  of  all  who 
have  been  bought  by  the  Son  of  God. 

"  And  the  ransomed  of  the  Lord  shall  return, 
and  come  to  Zion  with  songs  and  everlasting  joy 
upon  their  heads ;  they  shall  obtain  joy  and  glad- 
ness, and  sorrow  and  sighing  shall  flee  away." 


XX 

WHAT  MUST  I  DO  TO  BE  SAVED? 

"  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?  "—Acts  i6: 30. 

How  quickly  conditions  change.  In  an  instant, 
at  the  shock  of  an  earthquake,  the  jailer  becomes 
a  prisoner,  condemned  to  die,  and  the  prisoners 
become  free  men.  Conditions  in  Hfe  will  not 
save  us  any  more  than  they  saved  the  Philippian 
jailer,  but  may  be  the  very  occasion  of  our  bond- 
age. For,  the  worst  form  of  imprisonment  is  not 
that  which  is  endured  behind  barred  windows, 
but  rather  that  which  sin  imposes.  A  few  years 
ago  while  in  London  we  went  to  visit  one  of  the 
largest  prisons  in  that  great  city.  We  went  safely 
from  ward  to  ward.  There  was  perfect  order 
there.  All  the  prisoners  were  clean  and  well  fed. 
The  next  day  we  went  to  the  awful  White  Chapel 
region  in  the  same  city.  We  had  gone  in  about 
the  distance  of  a  block  when  my  friend  became 
frightened  and  turned  back.  I  had  not  gone 
much  farther  when  an  officer  of  the  law  came 
up  and  tapping  me  on  the  shoulder  said :  '^  If  you 
value  your  life  you  had  better  not  go  any  further." 
And  as  I  looked  around,  and  saw  the  filth  and 
degradation,  the  wrecks  of  human  life,  the  beings 
266 


What  Must  I  Do  to  be  Saved      267 

in  human  form  that  carried  in  their  faces,  the 
mark  of  every  sin  and  every  crime,  1  said,  "  the 
prison  up  yonder  that  we  visited  yesterday,  and 
that  is  maintained  by  the  government,  is  a  heaven 
compared  with  this  bondage  of  sin/'  It  is  true 
that  "  whom  Christ  makes  free  he  shall  be  free 
indeed,"  and  it  is  just  as  true  that  whom  sin  binds 
he  is  bound  indeed.  Yet  many  of  you  seem  to 
love  the  bondage  of  sin,  for  you  refuse  to  come 
out  of  it,  and  will  not  ask  the  question :  "  What 
must  I  do  to  be  saved." 

There  is  no  one  who  does  not  at  some  time  in 
life  need  assistance.  There  is  no  one  who  will 
not  sooner  or  later  need  supreme  help  in  the 
great  moment  when  the  earthquake  of  God's 
wrath  shall  break  forth  in  fury.  Sooner  or  later 
everyone  must  stand  in  the  place  of  the  jailer  and 
cry  for  the  help  of  the  infinite  God.  The  first 
thing  then  to  be  realized  in  this  question,  is  our 
relation  to  Him. 

I.  The  condition. 

It  was  that  of  the  sleeper. 

You  will  notice  that  this  man  slept  on  duty. 
For  this  he  was  to  lose  his  life,  according  to 
the  Roman  law.  A  rather  dear  sleep,  you  say. 
Up  to  this  time  he  was  not  disturbed  with  this 
great  question  of  his  relation  to  his  God.  He  had 
performed  his  duty  with  the  ease  and  composure 
of  a  man  who  had  settled  every  difficulty.  He 
did  his  work  just  as  well,  no  doubt  as  any  ordi- 


268       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

nary  man  ever  did.  Because  a  man  performs  his 
every-day  duty  to  his  employer  in  the  best  way 
does  not  prove  that  he  is  a  Christian.  Christi- 
anity is  not  the  commodity  of  most  business  men. 
They  do  not  die  defending  the  principles  of  God's 
Word  in  the  workshop  or  office.  The  world  is 
pretty  largely  asleep  on  this  great  question. 

There  are  people  who  are  totally  unconscious 
of  the  great  power  of  music  and  the  ability  of 
the  soul  to  master  and  enjoy  harmony.  They 
seem  to  be  happy.  They  go  about  their  work 
with  just  as  much  ease  as  did  Beethoven  or  Han- 
del. But  some  day  there  comes  along  a  great 
musician  who  stirs  the  sleeping  soul  till  it  loves 
and  longs  for  the  ecstasy  of  the  great  organ  and 
then  it  cries  out,  "  What  must  I  do  to  be  a  mu- 
sician?'' and  the  answer  comes,  "Believe  in  the 
master  musician  with  all  thy  heart  and  life."  So 
we  are  asleep  to  the  great  power  and  thrill  of 
the  Christ  life,  until  He  who  can  stir  to  won- 
drous deeds  this  careless  life,  comes  to  wake  us 
and  then  we  cry  out  with  the  Philippian  jailer, 
"  What  must  I  do  to  have  the  power  of  God  in 
my  soul  ?  " 

There  are  people  who  walk  about  at  night  in 
their  sleep ;  yet  their  eyes  are  wide  open  and  they 
perform  intelligent  deeds.  Some  of  them  go  to 
their  daily  work,  perform  some  service  and  then 
if  not  wakened,  return  to  their  rest.  There  are 
many — ah,  too  many, — who  walk  about  the  world 
asleep  to  all  that  God  says  and  does.    They  return 


What  Must  I  Do  to  be  Saved      269 

again  to  their  homes  and  think  they  are  fulfilling 
the  mission  of  their  lives.  But  alas !  How  sadly 
they  miss  the  great  end  of  being. 
^  Like  the  somnambulist,  like  the  Philippian 
jailer,  it  requires  an  earthquake  of  God's  provi- 
dence to  wake  them. 

When  walking  along  a  railroad  track  in  North- 
ern Pennsylvania,  we  found  an  old  man  lying 
asleep  with  his  head  and  shoulders  across  one 
rail  of  the  track.    We  had  heard  the  fast  express 
coming,  and  that  had  hurried  us  on.     So  when 
we  came  up  to  the  old  man,  we  took  hold  of  him 
and  pulled  him  off  the  track,  just  in  time  to  save 
him,  for  the  next  instant  the  train  whizzed  by  at 
a  rate  of  forty  miles  an  hour.    That  would  have 
been  a   fatal  sleep  had  there  not  been  helping 
hands  to  rescue  him  just  in  time.     Yet  that  was 
a  safe  place  to  be,  compared  with  the  positions 
that  some  of  you  occupy.    Worse  than  sleeping  in 
church,  and  far  worse  than  sleeping  on  a  rail- 
road track,  is  the  sleep  of  sin  in  which  some  of 
you  are  indulging.    The  songs  of  praise  and  the 
prayers  of  God's  people  do  not  wake  you.     You 
sleep  on,  like  the  jailer  in  our  text,  until  some 
great  earthquake  shakes  you  into  decision.     May 
God  send  the  mighty  earthquake,  if  nothing  else 
will  do,  to  wake  you  from  sleep  and  make  you 
cry  out,  "  What  must  I  do  to  be  saved  ?  " 

Because  a  man  is  not  disturbed  is  no  proof 
that  he  is  safe.  A  man  may  be  asleep  in  a  boat 
above  the  falls  of  Niagara,  drifting  toward  cer- 


270       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

tain  death,  but  the  fact  that  he  is  asleep  will  not 
save  him.  The  ease  of  mind  did  not  save  this 
jailer.  That  Jonah  was  asleep  in  the  boat  did  not 
save  him  in  the  great  storm ;  for  the  sailors  woke 
him  violently  and  asked, 

"  What  meanest  thou  O  sleeper  ?  Arise,  call 
upon  thy  God,  if  so  be  that  God  will  think  upon 
us,  that  we  perish  not." 

II.  The  great  need. 

He  did  not  wait  to  be  courtmartialed,  or  to 
have  a  judge  to  pronounce  sentence.  He  knew 
that  the  moment  he  had  committed  the  offense 
he  was  a  condemned  man.  Who  then  could  help 
him?  The  only  help  must  be  in  the  power  that 
had  shown  to  him  his  danger. 

But  when  he  found  that  the  prisoners  had  not 
escaped,  and  the  matter  was  likely  to  be  kept 
quiet  he  might  have  said  what  some  of  you  have 
been  saying  day  after  day  and  year  after  year: 
''  Not  now."  "  Not  to-night."  "  I'll  wait  a  little 
longer  before  settling  this  question."  But  he  did 
not.  He  cried  out,  "  What  must  I  do  to  be 
saved  ?  "  He  saw  only  one  thing,  and  that  was 
the  "  must  " — the  need  of  being  saved.  It  is  when 
we  come  to  this  need  of  salvation,  and  find  it  the 
only  way,  and  cry  out  "  what  must  I  do  to  be 
saved,"  that  we  find  salvation  at  once. 

When  I  was  a  pastor  in  Philadelphia,  I  used 
to  visit  the  poor  unfortunates  in  Moyamensing 
prison,  at  the  request  of  the  warden,  whose  family 


What  Must  I  Do  to  be  Saved      271 

belonged  to  my  church.    One  day  I  found  a  poor 
miserable,  half  crazed,  middle-aged  man,  in  one 
of  the  cells,  who  was  in  great  trouble.     He  felt 
the  awfulness  of  his  condition.     He  wanted  to 
be  released;  so  he  went  round  and  round  the  little 
cell  crying  out:  "  I  must  be  out  of  here;  O,  there 
must  be  something  done;  I  must  not  be  a  pris- 
oner; O,  I  must  be  free,  I  must  be  out  of  here." 
The  Philippian  jailer,  who  had  not  heard  the  one- 
hundredth  part  of  the  preaching  that  you  have 
heard,   and  the  poor  prisoner  in  Moyamensing 
prison,  who  had  perhaps  never  heard  a  sermon, 
cried  out  for  help.     But  many  of  you  who  have 
heard  the  most  excellent  preaching,  for  years,  go 
away  without  feeling  the  need  of  a  Saviour.  ' 

A  poor  drunkard  strayed  into  our  meeting  one 
day  in  a  Western  city,  and  knelt  before  the  pul- 
pit, praying  and  crying  out  for  help.     Some  said 
he  was  drunk  and  that  the  best  thing  was  to  put 
him  out.     But  we  prayed  with  him,  until  peace 
came  into  his  heart  and  he  believed  he  was  saved. 
As  he  walked  out  of  that  place  of  meeting  he  said 
to  us,  "  Look  here,  I  want  to  tell  you  something. 
In  about  two  minutes,  while  we  were  kneeling 
there,  all  the  sins  I  had  ever  committed  came  up 
before  me.    I  saw  them  all.    O,  it  was  terrible." 
Then  we  understood  why  he  wept  and  wailed  and 
moaned,  while  he  was  on  his  knees.    He  had  to 
cry  out,  the  sight  was  so  terrible. 

When  one  is  drowning,  he  knows  his  danger 
and  his  doom,  if  he  can  not  swim.    But  he  can 


i']i       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

not  help  himself.  So  with  one  in  sin.  There  must 
be  help  or  he  will  perish.  But  when  one  comes 
to  help  the  drowning,  he  must  have  his  way, 
even  to  rendering  the  one  to  be  rescued  uncon- 
scious. It  may  be  the  saviour  of  the  drowning 
will  wait  till  he  is  about  to  go  down  the  last 
time,  or  it  may  be  that  he  will  deal  the  one  to  be 
rescued  a  hard  blow  to  render  him  entirely  help- 
less. Then  he  can  save  him.  He  must  have  his 
way.  So  when  God  comes  to  save  us  from  sin 
and  suffering  and  from  woe,  He  must  have  His 
way.  To  this  the  jailer  consented,  when  he  cried 
out, 

"  What  must  1  do  to  be  saved?  "  He  did  not 
say  to  Paul  and  Silas,  "  Over  there  in  cell  4  is 
an  old  thief.  No  one  can  reform  him.  He  even 
stole  from  his  mother.  What  must  he  do  to  be 
saved  ?  "  He  did  not  say,  ''  There  in  cell  23  is  a 
murderer.  He  has  killed  many  a  man.  What 
must  he  do  to  be  saved  ?  "  But  he  cried  out  for 
himself,  "What  must  I  do  to  be  saved?''  The 
answer  came  quickly  to  him, 

"  Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  thou 
shalt  be  saved." 

III.  His  great  help  was  salvation  through  be- 
lief. 
Is  salvation  worth  decision  and  belief  in  Christ  ? 
If  we  would  value  it  as  the  mother  does  we 
would  think  so.  A  mother  said  to  me  only  a  few 
days  ago,  "  One  of  my  boys  is  now  a  Christian. 


What  Must  I  Do  to  be  Saved      i^^ 

I  have  nothing  in  the  world  but  what  my  two 
boys  give  to  me,  but  if  only  the  other  would  be- 
come a  Christian  I  would  be  the  richest  woman  in 
the  universe.     Whenever  he  goes    out,    in    the 
morning,   at  noon,   at  night  or  at  midnight,   I 
am  on  my  knees  praying  and  praying  for  him 
lest  he  may  be  brought  home  a  corpse  and  his 
soul  be  lost.     I  suffered  much  for  him  when  he 
was  small,  but  that  is  not  to  be  compared  with 
what  I  suffer  now."    O,  how  some  of  you  moth- 
ers value  salvation,  and  yet  you  young  men  treat 
It  as  a  light  thing  and  will  not  ask,  ''  What  must 
I  do  to  be  saved  ?  '^    O,  how  some  of  you  mothers 
are  praying  now;  yet  you  young  people  will  not 
believe,  so  as  to  be  saved.    A  lady  said  last  night 
in  the  meeting  that  she  wanted  to  settle  this  ques- 
tion now  and  know  before  she  came  to  die  that 
she  is  a  child  of  God.    That  is  believing  and  be- 
ing saved. 

^    A  young  lady,  eighteen  years  of  age,  was  cross- 
ing the  great  railroad  suspension  bridge  at  Niag- 
ara Falls.     As  the  train  stopped  on  the  American 
side,   before  going  over,   she   stepped   out,   and 
leaning  on  the  rail  of  the  bridge  looked  down  at 
the  foaming  waters.     While  standing  there  the 
tram  started,  but  she  did  not  hear  it  because  the 
sound  of  the  waters  filled  her  ears.    Turning  she 
saw  the  light  on  the  rear  end  of  the  train  vanish- 
ing.   It  was  night  and  she  had  only  the  open  ties 
of  the  bridge  to  walk  on,  and  these  she  could  only 
see  dimly  in  the  darkness,  but  she  rushed  after 


274       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

the  train  with  all  her  power.  Finding  thai  the 
train  was  fast  leaving  her,  she  stopped  about  one- 
fourth  the  way  across  and  asked,  what  shall  I 
do  to  save  myself?  Just  then  she  heard  another 
train  coming  after  her — a  train  pursuing  her, 
the  mad  waters  of  the  Niagara  underneath.  The 
only  way  for  her  was  across  the  bridge.  As 
though  with  wings,  she  flew  on  in  the  darkness, 
and  reached  the  other  side  in  safety  not  three 
minutes  too  soon.  Many  of  you  have  lingered 
by  the  side  of  this  world's  pleasures  until  their 
sounds  have  filled  your  ears,  and  you,  like  the 
Philippian  jailer,  are  asleep,  or  like  the  young 
lady,  do  not  see  that  your  chance  has  gone.  Let 
us,  like  that  girl,  fly  for  a  safe  refuge;  like  the 
Philippian  jailer,  cry  out,  "  What  must  I  do  to 
be  saved  ?  " 

But  the  jailer  was  accustomed  to  the  doctrine 
of  works,  so  he  asked,  "  What  must  I  do  to  be 
saved."  He  never  once  asked  what  he  must  be- 
lieve. But  the  answer  came,  "  Believe  on  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ."  So  we  must  be  in  right  re- 
lation to  Christ,  who  walks  among  us  to  bring 
pardon  if  we  are  worthy. 

A  German  prince,  travelling  through  France, 
visited  the  Arsenal  at  Toulon,  where  the  galleys 
were  kept.  The  commandant,  as  a  compliment 
to  his  rank,  offered  to  set  at  liberty  any  slave 
whom  he  selected.  The  prince  went  the  round 
of  the  prison,  therefore,  and  conversed  with  the 
prisoners.  He  inquired  into  the  reason  of  their 
confinement,  and  met  only  with  universal  com- 


What  Must  I  Do  to  be  Saved      ays 

plaints  of  injustice,  oppression,  and  false  accusa- 
tion. 

At  last  he  came  to  one  man,  who  admitted  his 
imprisonment  to  be  just.  ''  My  Lord,"  said  he, 
"'  I  have  no  reason  to  complain.  I  have  been 
a  wicked,  desperate  wretch.  I  have  often  de- 
served to  be  broken  upon  the  wheel,  and  it  is  a 
mercy  that  I  am  here."  The  prince  fixed  his  eyes 
upon  the  man,  and,  without  hesitation,  selected 
him,  saying,  "  This  is  the  man  whom  I  wish  re- 
leased." 

It  was  not  that  the  man  was  handsomer,  or 
older,  or  younger,  or  richer,  or  poorer  than  the 
rest;  but  that  his  heart  was  right,  in  relation  to 
his  benefactor.  When  we  believe  in  Christ  we 
are  in  right  relation  to  him  as  was  the  Philippian 
jailer,  and  as  in  the  case  of  the  French  prisoner. 

Archbishop  Cranmer  was  a  friend  of  truth  in 
evil  times,  and  a  plot  was  formed  to  take  his  life. 
God  so  ordered  it  that  the  papers  which  would 
have  completed  the  plan  were  intercepted  and 
traced  to  their  authors,  one  of  whom  lived  in 
the  archbishop's  family,  and  the  other  he  had 
greatly  served.  He  took  these  men  in  his  palace 
and  told  them  that  some  persons  had  disclosed 
their  secrets  and  accused  them  of  heresy.  They 
loudly  censured  such  villainy,  and  declared  the 
traitors  worthy  of  death;  one  of  them  adding 
that  if  an  executioner  was  wanted  he  would  per- 
form the  office.  Struck  with  their  perfidy,  after 
lifting  up  his  voice  to  Heaven  and  thanking  God 
for  his  preservation,  he  produced  their  letters. 


ajS       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

They  fell  on  their  knees,  confessed  and  implored 
forgiveness.  Cranmer  expostulated  with  them 
forgave  them  and  never  alluded  to  their  treach- 
ery. 

His  forgiveness  of  injuries  was  so  well  known 
that  it  became  a  byword,  "  Do  my  lord  of  Can- 
terbury an  ill  turn,  and  you  make  him  your  friend 
forever." 

These  men  were  worthy  of  forgiveness  only 
when  they  were  in  right  relation  to  their  Master, 
and  were  made  to  see  their  great  sin,  and  the 
great  heart  of  love  in  the  breast  of  the  Arch- 
bishop. 

Like  this  there  came  to  the  Philippian  jailer 
the  great  joy  of  salvation. 

We  do  not  longer  hear  of  his  fear  of  the  Ro- 
man law,  that  he  should  die,  if  the  prisoners 
should  escape.  A  greater  and  better  power  was 
around  him  now.  In  one  of  the  early  centuries 
of  this  era,  they  brought  a  Christian  before  a 
king,  who  wanted  him  to  recant  and  give  up 
Christ  and  Christianity,  but  the  man  spurned  the 
proposition.    But  the  king  said, 

"  If  you  don't  do  it,  I  will  banish  you." 

The  man  smiled  and  answered,  "  You  can't 
banish  me  from  Christ,  for  He  says  He  will  never 
leave  me  nor  forsake  me." 

The  king  got  angry,  and  said,  "  Well  I  will 
confiscate  your  property  and  take  it  all  from  you." 

And  the  man  replied,  *'  My  treasures  are  laid 
up  on  high ;  you  can  not  get  them." 


What  Must  I  Do  to  be  Saved      1277 

The  king  became  still  more  angry,  and  said, 
"  I  will  kill  you." 

"  Why,"  the  man  answered,  "  I  have  been  dead 
forty  years;  I  have  been  dead  with  Christ,  dead 
to  the  world,  and  my  life  is  hid  with  Christ  in 
God,  and  you  can  not  touch  it." 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  with  such  a  fa- 
natic ?  "  asked  the  king. 

It  was  this  joy  and  this  testimony  that  com- 
forted the  jailer.  It  is  belief  always  that  gives 
assurance  and  calmness  of  mind.  We  soon  learn 
to  trust  in  the  stability  of  nature.  We  learn  early 
in  life  that  certain  principles  govern  certain 
sciences  and  certain  branches  of  learning  and  then 
comes  the  action.  Most  of  us  are  like  the  jailer. 
We  want  to  begin  the  action  first.  It  would  have 
been  impossible  for  this  prison  keeper  to  have 
washed  and  dressed  the  wounds  of  these  pris- 
oners before  he  was  converted.  It  was  impossible 
for  him  not  to  do  it  after  his  heart  was  changed 
in  love  for  Christ.  The  beautiful  story  of  a 
helpful  Christianity  was  manifested  in  the  act 
of  the  jailer.  When  a  man  believes,  there  will 
be  plenty  of  action  for  no  one  will  need  to  ask, 
"What  must  I  do?" 

The  jailer  cared  for  Paul  and  Silas,  for  the 
sake  of  Christ  who  had  granted  him  pardon.  This 
is  the  inspiration  of  the  whole  Christian  world. 

For  some  months  a  family,  the  poorest  of  the 
poor,  lived  on  a  miserable  street  in  our  city  in 
an  almost  starving  condition.    The  oldest  boy,  a 


2jS       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

lad  of  fourteen,  sold  papers ;  but  the  income  from 
this  uncertain  trade  barely  paid  the  rent  of  the 
cramped  and  cheerless  quarters  in  which  the  six 
children  and  their  mother  lived. 

In  the  neighbourhood  was  a  Jewish  baker,  who 
made  a  living  by  the  hardest  and  most  unremit- 
ting toil.  He  was  poor,  but  his  religion  taught 
him  to  love  his  fellow  creatures.  He  heard  of 
the  distress  near  him ;  here  were  people  poorer 
than  himself,  and  he  had  one  of  the  children  to 
come  over  once  a  day  and  take  a  loaf  of  bread. 
This  charity,  meaning  so  much  to  the  baker,  be- 
came for  months  almost  the  only  means  of  sup- 
porting life  that  this  poverty-stricken  Christian 
family  had. 

But  one  day  John,  the  little  father  of  his  five 
brothers  and  sisters,  "  struck  a  job,"  as  the  phrase 
goes  among  such  boys.  Pretty  soon  the  family 
moved  into  another  tenement,  where  once  a  day 
the  sun  glanced  in  at  one  window.  John  was 
doing  very  well,  and  his  family,  although  still 
poor  enough,  were  happier  than  they  had  been 
for  years;  but  he  could  not  forget  the  baker 
and  the  kindness  he  had  shown  them  when  they 
were  starving. 

All  one  week  John  was  very  thoughtful.  At 
last,  one  evening,  he  said  to  his  mother, 

"  Mother,  I  want  to  put  a  thought  before  you. 
Fve  had  it  in  mind  some  time,  an'  1  can't  help 
thinking  it's  a  duty. 

"  You   know   how   the   baker   helped   us   out. 


What  Must  I  Do  to  be  Saved      279 

Now  there's  that  family  across  the  street,  where 
the  old  man  has  just  died.  There's  six  children 
in  that  family,  just  like  us,  an'  not  a  mouthful  for 
'em  to  eat.  Can't  we  take  one  of  'em  in  ?  I  could 
git  up  a  little  earlier  an'  go  to  bed  a  little  later, 
an'  work  a  little  harder.  But  if  you  don't  want  to 
do  it,  I  won't  say  any  more." 

The  boy  stopped  and  looked  at  his  mother. 
Their  struggle  was  hard  enough  as  it  was.  They 
could  scarcely  live,  and  if  John  lost  his  place  they 
would  be  worse  off  than  ever.  What  risk  to  un- 
dertake to  feed  another  mouth! 

"  What  do  you  want  to  do  this  for  ?  "  asked  the 
mother,  softly. 

John  looked  away.  "  Well,"  he  said,  "  just  on 
account  of  what  the  baker  did  for  us." 

"  All  right,  John,"  said  his  mother ;  "  for  the 
sake  of  the  baker  we  will  take  the  child  in." 

An  act  of  kindness  sows  its  own  seed;  and 
the  harvests  repeat  themselves  somewhere  and 
some  time,  by  an  unchangeable  law.  The  joy  of 
imitation,  as  well  as  the  duty  of  gratitude,  will 
pass  along  the  first  giver's  good  deed  after  he  has 
forgotten  it. 

It  was  for  the  Master's  sake  that  the  jailer 
cared  for  Paul  and  Silas.  Beautiful  story  of  man 
redeemed,  who  no  longer  asks,  *'  What  must  I 
do  to  be  saved,"  but  rather,  "  What  may  I  do  for 
the  Saviour  when  saved  ?  " 


XXI 

PRAYER    AND    PROVIDENCE, — ^DO    THEY    CONFLICT? 

Now  when  Daniel  knew  that  the  writing  was  signed, 
he  went  into  his  house;  and,  his  windows  being  open 
in  his  chamber  toward  Jerusalem,  he  knelt  upon  his 
knees  three  times  a  day,  and  prayed,  and  gave  thanks 
before  his  God,  as  he  did  aforetime. — Daniel  6:  lo. 

A  BEAUTIFUL  story  tcUs  us  that  a  private  soldier 
in  the  army  of  Lord  Cornwallis,  was  often  absent 
from  his  quarters  and  from  the  company  of  his 
fellow  soldiers.  This  attracted  the  attention  of 
his  comrades,  who  suspected  that  he  was  guilty 
of  treason;  so  they  had  him  arrested,  tried  by 
court-martial,  and  condemned  to  death.  While 
awaiting  execution,  the  Marquis,  whose  duty  it 
was  to  oversee  all  military  affairs  at  a  distance 
from  the  seat  of  government,  examined  the  min- 
utes of  the  trial,  became  dissatisfied  with  the  case 
and  sent  for  the  prisoner.  Upon  being  ques- 
tioned, the  soldier  solemnly  denied  the  charge; 
and  swore  allegiance  to  his  sovereign.  Then  he 
gave  as  a  reason  for  his  absence,  that  he  was  then 
praying  to  his  God.  He  said  he  had  made  this 
defence  at  his  trial  but  was  not  believed. 

It  seemed  a  misfortune  for  this  man  to  pray; 
280 


Prayer  and  Providence  a8i 

for  by  it  he  was  arrested  and  convicted.  So  with 
Daniel  in  that  wonderful  story  of  his  life,  every- 
thing seemed  against  him.  What  was  the  use  in 
praying  if  the  act  only  brought  him  into  deeper 
trouble?  We  have  all  had  similar  experiences. 
Then  we  ask  ourselves  "  what  is  the  use  of 
prayer  ?  "  For  all  things  seem  to  go  on  in  their 
own  way  in  spite  of  us. 

These  seemed  to  be  instances  of  the  conflict 
between  prayer  and  Providence,  if  there  is  ever 
such  a  thing.  They  seemed  to  be  ''  flying  in  the 
face  of  Providence,"  "  tempting  God,"  and  '*  lay- 
ing up  wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath."  Surely 
the  object  of  prayer  is  to  bring  release  from  care 
and  worry  and  trouble,  is  it  not  ?  Yes,  surely  that, 
but  much  more.  Prayer  has  as  its  greatest  ob- 
ject, the  bringing  of  the  petitioner  into  harmony 
with  the  will  and  plan  of  God.  This  must  there- 
fore include  all  the  elements  of  prayer,  whatever 
they  may  be.  Much  of  the  prayer  that  is  offered 
is  of  the  selfish  kind,  which  supposes  that  God 
will  change  circumstances  and  events  to  suit  our 
conveniences  and  momentary  success.  We  do  not 
pray,  ''  if  it  be  Thy  will,"  as  we  should,  but  with 
the  feeling  that  it  "  must  be  so,"  or  our  prayer 
is  not  answered.  So  it  appeared  very  foolish  for 
Daniel  to  keep  up  a  custom  which  only  brought 
him  trouble  and  did  not  seem  to  help  him  in  his 
daily  life.  Why  could  he  not  just  as  well  omit 
his  prayer  for  a  time  and  save  himself  the 
trouble  ?    Because  he  saw  the  divine  side  of  prayer. 


282       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

I.  The  divine  side  of  prayer. 

Like  the  people  who  condemned  the  soldier 
and  like  those  who  were  watching  for  the  life 
of  Daniel  there  are  millions  who  only  see  one 
side  of  truth, — who  live  on  half  truth,  and  that 
the  human  half, — who  eat  the  thin  coat  of  jelly 
the  world  spreads  and  think  they  are  eating  the 
bread  of  life.  Is  not  the  world  full  of  poor  houses 
and  pauper  dens,  and  are  not  these  places  full  of 
paupers  because  so  many  attempt  to  live  on  half 
truth?  For  truth  is  whole, — having  two  sides, 
— one  side  is  God's,  the  other  man's ;  one  side  is 
earth's,  the  other  heaven's;  one  side  time's,  the 
other  eternity's.  It  was  this  large  view  of  life 
that  led  Daniel  to  pray  that  memorable  prayer, 
and  led  the  English  soldier  to  cling  so  loyally  to 
his  God. 

Most  men  are  looking  for  their  own  advantage 
and  are  not  satisfied  unless  they  see  immediate 
results.  They  start  out  in  the  morning,  having 
offered  a  prayer  for  their  own  success,  and  un- 
less all  things  move  in  their  favour,  they  are  ac- 
customed to  say  that  prayer  is  of  no  use.  Does 
any  man  think  his  watch  is  of  no  use  because  it 
does  not  always  keep  perfect  time?  Does  he 
throw  it  away  and  refuse  ever  after  to  look  at 
any  watch  or  clock  just  because  his  timepiece 
which  he  had  trusted  does  not  serve  him  at  every 
moment  as  he  thinks  it  should? 

Just  so  foolish  is  the  man  who  would  abandon 
all  prayer  relations  with  his  God    just    because 


Prayer  and  Providence  1283 

they  do  not  come  out  as  he  expects.  The  man 
with  the  watch  does  not  forget  that  there  is  a 
providence  back  of  the  watch — that  is  the  watch- 
maker, who  can  usually  make  a  watch  run  right 
if  he  has  it  in  his  care.  But  the  owner  is  so 
anxious  to  keep  agoing  that  he  would  rather  do 
with  an  imperfect  timepiece  than  to  give  up  alto- 
gether. There  are  myriads  of  people  who  would 
rather  struggle  on  in  the  winding,  bewildering 
maze  of  events,  than  to  let  the  infinite  God  have 
His  way.  O,  sad  indeed,  that  we  should  ever 
forget  God's  side  of  this  great  existence. 

A  man  looks  in  a  mirror  to  see  his  likeness 
held  before  him.  He  does  not  think  of  the  un- 
seen providence,  which  is  the  other  half  of  the 
whole  truth.  He  does  not  think  that  the  quick- 
silver on  the  back  of  the  mirror,  though  unseen, 
renders  visible  the  object  which  stands  before  it. 
That  quicksilver  is  the  unseen  providence  of  that 
event.  So  back  of  all  things  useful  to  man  is 
the  unseen  power  of  God,  holding  forth  the  truth, 
only  one  half  of  which  we  see.  And  the  man 
who  is  wise  enough  to  win  the  special  favour  and 
help  of  the  Almighty  by  going  out  of  the  sight  of 
man  into  the  unseen  providences  of  God,  is  the 
one  who  wins  as  did  Daniel.  There  is  then  no 
conflict  between  true  prayer  and  providence. 

But  what  is  true  prayer?  It  is  the  request 
which  is  "  agreeable  to  God's  will."  All  else  is 
empty  sound. 

If  my  child  comes  to  me  and    says,    "  Papa 


a 84       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

please  strike  down  the  neighbour's  Httle  boy  be- 
cause I  am  angry  at  him."  Will  I  regard  that  as 
a  proper  petition?  By  no  means,  so  if  I  pray  to 
God  to  strike  down  my  enemy  or  to  destroy  his 
property,  God  will  not  regard  that  as  a  prayer, 
for  the  only  privilege  we  can  ask  of  God  in  re- 
gard to  our  enemies  is  good,  for  we  are  to  pray 
for  them  who  "  despitefully  use  us  and  persecute 
us." 

Some  years  ago  a  noted  skeptic,  proposed  as  a 
test  of  prayer  that  a  certain  number  of  patients 
in  a  hospital  should  be  selected  to  be  prayed  for, 
and  a  certain  other  number  should  be  selected 
and  not  prayed  for,  to  see  which  would  recover 
first.  The  Christian  world  scorned  such  a  thing, 
not  that  prayer  is  of  no  use,  for  it  is;  but  be- 
cause such  a  test  does  not  conform  to  God's  will. 
God  has  other  things  to  do  beside  trying  to  please 
the  whims  of  skeptics,  who  never  try  to  please 
the  infinite  God.  He  has  given  so  much  evidence 
of  His  power  and  love,  that  to  do  anything  fur- 
ther would  be  to  belittle  His  cause.  This  skeptic 
might  as  well  ask  that  God  should  make  a  square 
triangle  to  prove  mathematics.  God  then  will 
only  regard  that  as  prayer  which  is  agreeable  to 
His  will  and  it  is  our  business  to  find  what  that 
is,  as  did  Daniel  of  old.  Then  we  will  have  the 
power  that  rules  the  world,  moving  and  changing 
events,  as  when  Elijah  brought  the  rain  from  the 
clouds  at  Carmel;  as  when  Joshua  made  the  sun 
and  the  moon  stand  still  till  he  had  finished  his 


Prayer  and  Providence  285 

battle;  as  when  Peter  prayed  at  Pentecost  and 
the  thousands  were  converted;  as  with  the 
praying  soldier,  so  with  you,  prayer  binds  half 
truth  to  half  truth  making  it  whole.  Truth  is 
not  to  be  divided  but  united.  Christ  came  into 
the  world  to  '*  bind  up  the  broken  hearted  "  by 
binding  up  to  each  soul  the  broken  truth  of  God. 
Christ  came  into  the  world  to  heal  the  diseased 
and  the  leprous,  by  giving  them — new — whole 
— unbroken;  the  power  of  God  and  the  truth  of 
God  which,  so  far  as  man  was  concerned,  man 
had  shattered.  But  this  can  not  be  effected  with 
half  a  weapon.  Whole  truth  settles  the  conflict 
forever.  The  experience  of  this  soldier  as  well 
as  that  of  Daniel,  make  this  truth  not  visionary 
but  visible.  Does  it  mean  anything  to  you  that 
Christ  connected  earth  and  heaven,  by  the  birds 
that  fly  between  ?  Listen.  "  Behold  the  fowls 
of  the  air  for  they  sow  not,  neither  do  they  reap, 
nor  gather  into  barns,  yet  your  heavenly  Father 
feedeth  them,  are  ye  not  much  better  than  they  ?  " 
Do  you  see  only  God's  creation  without  seeing 
God  in  it  ?  Then  there  is  no  help  for  you  beyond 
the  laws  of  nature.  The  very  bird  to  which 
Christ  referred,  going  higher  and  higher  in  its 
flight  until  lost  to  the  sight  of  man,  seems  a  re- 
minder of  the  flight  of  prayer  as  it  goes  higher 
and  higher  until  the  throne  of  God  is  touched 
and  moved.  Are  your  eyes  so  dim  that  you  see 
only  the  flowers  around  you  while  in  their  midst 
stands  one  who  says,  "  Consider  the  lilies  of  the 


iS6       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

field,  how  they  grow  .  .  .  and  yet  I  say  unto 
you  that  Solomon  in  all  his  glory  was  not  arrayed 
like  one  of  these."  Should  we  not  see  Him?  Is 
not  there  a  suggestion  of  this  whole  truth,  of 
God  and  man? 

There  are  families  in  which  one  child  receives 
but  little  love,  less  kindness,  and  still  less  atten- 
tion. Then  there  are  other  children  in  that  family 
upon  whom  the  father  is  always  showering  his 
love  and  favour.  The  former  receives  little  be- 
cause he  asks  for  little  or  nothing.  He  asks  for 
very  little  because  he  has  never  gone  round  to 
that  side  of  his  father.  The  father  is  not  unjust. 
He  does  all  that  this  child  will  permit,  and  more 
than  he  deserves.  The  other  is  always  on  the  love 
side  of  his  father  drawing  him  out  telling  him  of 
his  great  love  and  praising  him  for  the  blessings 
already  received,  as  Daniel  thanked  God  just 
when  he  saw  the  black  cloud  of  trouble  gather- 
ing. So  there  are  those  who  never  praise  God 
for  His  goodness,  who  never  look  keenly  into  his 
providences.  These  are  they  who  do  not  pray. 
But  those  who  dwell  on  the  love  side  of  the 
heavenly  Father,  what  blessings  are  theirs.  Like 
Coleridge,  who  in  his  darkest  earthly  moment 
when  he  meditated  suicide  looked  up  and  saw 
the  other  half  of  God's  truth  in  the  brightness  of 
the  providence  side  of  this  dark  cloud  and  said, 

"  Behind  a  frowning  providence 
He  hides  a  smiling  face." 


Prayer  and  Providence  1287 

But  let  us  see  what  further  happened  to  the 
EngHsh  soldier.  The  Marquis  then  put  him  to 
the  test  of  truthfulness,  by  making  him  kneel  down 
and  pray  aloud,  which  he  did  with  such  fluency 
and  ardour  that  the  Marquis  believed  his  story, 
revoked  his  sentence,  made  him  a  personal  at- 
tendant and  afterward  raised  him  to  a  high  posi- 
tion in  the  army.    This  was 

II.  The  test.  How  well  this  man  in  the  story 
stood  it!  How  well  Daniel  stood  it! 
Everyone  shall  be  tried.  And  there  is  a 
chance  for  everyone  to  achieve  a  decided 
victory. 

"  In  this  world  ye  shall  suffer  persecution,  but 
be  of  good  cheer,  I  have  overcome  the  world." 
If  you  have  anything  good  the  world  will  try 
you,  in  order  to  get  or  destroy  it,  and  the  higher 
the  claim  the  greater  the  trial.  It  matters  not  to 
us  that  those  who  try  us  are  not  so  good  as  those 
who  are  tried.  How  often  this  is  the  case.  Like 
the  soldiers  in  this  army  of  Cornwallis,  like 
Daniel  and  his  enemies,  there  are  many  in  the 
churches  and  out,  who  arrest  and  try  their  com- 
rades on  a  false  charge  and  condemn  them  to 
death.  "  Behold,  the  time  will  come  when  he 
who  killeth  you  thinketh  he  doeth  God  service." 
But  this  must  in  no  way  affect  the  faithfulness 
of  the  Christian.  The  fire  only  burns  the  dross 
from  the  gold,  the  grinding  only  adds  to  the  dia- 
mond the  greater  brilliancy.    There  is  not  in  any 


288       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

of  these  things  the  least  conflict  between  true 
prayer  and  providence,  but  the  greatest  harmony. 
Because  a  boy  is  subjected  to  severe  tests  in 
school,  is  it  to  be  supposed  that  the  rules  of  the 
school  are  all  made  to  work  against  him,  and  that 
the  teacher  is  opposed  to  him  and  that  he  is  hated 
by  every  one  ?  By  no  means ;  all  the  tests  to 
which  he  is  subjected  are  to  give  him  power  in 
himself  according  to  the  order  of  things  as  there 
established  in  the  school.  It  is  the  test  that 
proves  the  harmony  between  teacher  and  scholar 
and  in  like  manner  between  Christian  and  the 
Christ.  It  was  the  test  in  the  case  of  the  soldier 
and  of  Daniel,  that  gave  them  power  over  man 
and  events. 

It  is  by  these  trials,  these  tests,  that  Christians 
become  known.  By  these  we  find  the  meaning  of 
this  life.  What  vast  numbers  of  our  fellow  men 
may  have  noble  natures,  but  are  like  the  gold  in 
the  hillside  or  the  diamond  in  the  dust — undis- 
covered. When  laden  with  care  and  tried  with 
sorrow  we  seek  for  the  whole  truth ;  for  God  who 
is  the  embodiment  of  that  power.  We  then 
search  to  see  if  our  names  are  written,  high  or 
low,  or  at  all,  in  the  register  of  God.  Then  we 
ask,  are  we  on  the  human  side  known  as  living 
and  active,  while  on  the  side  toward  God  there  is 
inscribed  upon  our  walking  bodies  as  upon  mov- 
ing monuments,  "  An  unknown  man  lies  here  ?  " 
Does  it  pay  to  live  on  half  truth — on  that  which 
has  to  do  alone  with  the  time  when  a  vast  eternity 


Prayer  and  Providence  289 

spreads  out  before  us  with  infinite  relations  and 
destinies  ?  God  wants  you  to  accept  his  Son  who 
is  the  embodiment  of  this  whole  truth — for  he 
says :  "  I  am  the  Way,  the  Truth  and  the  Life." 
Again  the  story  of  the  soldier  and  that  of 
Daniel  reveal 

III.  The  victory. 

No  such  victory  did  Cornwallis  ever  win  as  was 
gained  by  this  unnamed  soldier.  The  battle  was 
not  fought  upon  the  open  field.  It  was  away  in 
those  secret,  silent  moments  when  his  soul 
wrestled  with  God  as  Jacob  wrestled  with  the 
Angel.  It  is  prayer  that  wins  the  battle  of  your 
life.  This  is  nothing  new.  It  is  the  same  that  we 
find  away  over  in  the  experience  of  Daniel.  The 
soldier  was  not  only  set  free  but  promoted  to  a 
high  position.  Daniel  not  only  escaped  harm, 
but  also  became  the  ruler  of  the  whole  realm. 
Now  ye  doubters  where  is  your  vaunted  conflict 
between  prayer  and  providence?  Come  forth 
now  and  stand  up  before  us  and  disprove  this 
which  happens  every  day  before  the  eyes  of  every 
one.  Can  you  do  it?  No?  Then  be  silent  ever 
after  and  listen  to  the  endless  testimony  of  those 
who  come  forth  as  witnesses  for  the  harmony  be- 
tween prayer  and  providence. 

There  was  the  sickly  mother,  I  can  yet  see  her 
face,  though  she  has  long  since  closed  her  lips  in 
the  long  silence.  There  she  lay  upon  the  sick  bed 
year  after  year,  with  hardly  enough  strength  to 


290       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

lift  her  wasting  hands,  and  yet  she  held  as  by- 
iron  chains  that  boy  hundreds  of  miles  away. 
He  was  kept  in  the  most  unusual  way.  He  was 
protected  from  countless  dangers.  What  seemed 
miracles  almost,  were  performed  by  him,  because 
she  sent  forth  her  prayers  for  him  straight  to  the 
throne  of  God,  like  the  homing  pigeons,  which 
go  sure  of  their  flight.  Yes  the  world  is  moved 
and  swayed  and  held  largely  by  the  praying 
mothers.  Come  with  me  into  the  homes  I  have 
visited,  and  into  the  scenes  through  which  I  have 
passed  and  I  will  prove  to  you  that  there  is  only 
harmony  between  true  prayer  and  providences,  as 
truly  now  as  in  the  days  of  Daniel. 

Why,  God  intends  that  the  world  shall  be  man- 
aged by  prayer,  and  He  dares  us  to  do  it.  There, 
see  that  Daniel!  Get  a  good  view  of  him  and 
you  will  never  forget  his  victory,  which  is  only 
a  specimen  of  those  that  may  be  achieved  by  us 
at  every  turn  in  life.  One  praying  man  or  wo- 
man may  turn  aside  the  wrath  of  God  from  a 
whole  town  and  a  whole  community.  God  would 
have  spared  Sodom  at  the  request  of  Lot,  if  there 
had  been  found  in  that  wicked  city  ten  righteous 
people. 

In  the  Franco-German  war  the  French  hospital 
at  Vendome  was  in  charge  of  the  late  Madame 
Coralie  Cahen,  one  of  the  noted  nurses  of  the 
time.  There,  aided  by  two  nurses  and  seven 
Christian  sisters  of  mercy,  she  received  thou- 
sands of  French  and  German  soldiers. 


Prayer  and  Providence  291 

When  the  Prussians  occupied  Vendome,  they 
wished  to  hold  the  hospital  and  plant  on  it  the 
German  flag.  But,  warned  of  the  enemy's  inten- 
tions, Mme.  Cahen,  early  one  January  morning, 
visited  the  Prussian  general,  who,  surrounded  by 
his  staff,  was  about  to  seize  the  building. 

''  Sir,"  she  exclaimed,  "  we  have  received  your 
wounded  and  nursed  them  as  though  they  were 
our  own.  We  will  continue  to  do  so,  but  we  will 
remain  a  French  hospital.  We  will  not  have  it 
converted  into  a  German  hospital."  Her  request 
was  granted,  and  so  she  conquered  a  whole  army. 
Why  then  may  we  not  lead  God  to  change  his 
direction  of  working  by  putting  ourselves  in 
union  with  Him,  so  that  we  may  accomplish  great 
things  at  His  command.  Man  is  the  wonder 
worker  and  God  is  his  inspiration  and  power. 

There  was,  in  a  western  city,  a  minister  who 
was  not  a  great  preacher,  or  a  great  personal 
worker,  and  yet  large  numbers  came  into  his 
church  at  every  communion.  Many  years  he 
laboured  with  the  same  result.  He  could  not 
understand  it  himself,  till  one  day  he  visited  an 
old  man  of  his  church,  who  had  been  sick  for  over 
twenty  years.  Then  the  sick  man  told  the  minis- 
ter that  he  had  spent  most  of  his  time  praying  for 
those  whom  he  knew,  that  they  might  be  brought 
to  Christ,  and  then  he  produced  the  list  of  those 
he  had  been  praying  for,  and  it  contained  the 
name  of  nearly  every  one  who  had  been  brought 
to  Christ  through  those  fruitful  years.    Yes,  true 


Q.g2       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

prayer  and  providence  are  in  harmony  as  truly 
as  are  the  earth  and  electricity.  But  there  must 
be  the  working  out  through  the  man,  of  this  great 
power.  We  must  not  foolishly  pray  for  that 
which  we  can  do  of  ourselves.  Mr.  Moody  was 
once  in  a  meeting  in  one  of  our  western  cities 
when  a  man  rose  in  the  audience  and  said  he 
needed  one  hundred  dollars  to  carry  on  some 
benevolent  work,  when  Mr.  Moody  replied,  "  O, 
Mr.  So  and  So,  1  would  not  bother  the  Lord 
with  a  small  thing  like  that,  I  would  just  go  out 
and  get  it."  So  there  may  seem  at  times  to  be 
a  delay  on  the  part  of  God  to  do  what  we  our- 
selves should  accomplish.  God  will  never  be 
moved  by  any  prayer  for  the  accomplishment  of 
anything  which  we  can  do  ourselves.  If  you  had 
asked  ''  Stonewall  "  Jackson  when  he  lay  dying 
what  was  the  secret  of  his  power,  he  would  have 
answered  with  one  word — prayer.  To  learn  the 
secret  of  the  endurance  of  Valley  Forge  and  the 
war  of  the  Revolution,  you  must  find  all  those 
unmarked  spots  where  Washington,  his  soldiers, 
and  all  the  faithful  wives  and  mothers  knelt  in 
prayer  to  God  that  He  would  save  the  cause.  If 
you  would  find  the  secret  of  much  failure,  you 
must  look  to  a  lack  of  this  communion  with  God, 
as  when  the  disciples  of  Christ  failed  to  cast  out 
the  evil  spirit,  they  came  to  Him  and  asked, 
"  Why  could  not  we  too  cast  him  out  ?  "  And 
Christ  answered,  *'  This  kind  goeth  not  out  but 
by  prayer  and  fasting."    The  same  answer  must 


Prayer  and  Providence  293 

be  given  to  vast  numbers  to-day.  You  fail  in 
school,  in  business,  In  speculation,  because  you 
have  neither  found  the  secret  of  power  nor  the 
power  of  this  secret.  Every  true  victory  is 
fought  single  handed  and  in  secret ;  for  this  gives 
constancy.  You  may  have  faith,  but  this  secret 
power — communion  with  God, — gives  fulness, 
and  you  have  power  which  never  fails,  and  which 
promotes  you  as  it  promoted  the  English  soldier, 
as  it  gave  Daniel  the  power  of  the  king,  and  led 
Paul  to  speak  of  the  great  harmony  between 
prayer  and  Providence  when  he  said: 

''  Nay,  in  all  these  things  we  are  more  than 
conquerors  through  Him  that  loved  us.  For  I 
am  persuaded,  that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor 
angels,  nor  principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things 
present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor 
depth,  nor  any  other  creature,  shall  be  able  to 
separate  us  from  the  love  of  God,  which  is  in 
Christ  Jesus  our  Lord." 


XXII 

THE  EVER  PRESENT  CHRIST 

Jesus  Himself  drew  near  and  went  with  them. — St. 
Luke  24: 15. 

These  disciples  were  now  turning  from  the 
darkest  scene  that  had  ever  spread  its  blackness 
across  the  sky,  to  obscure  the  way  of  man;  that 
is,  the  crucifixion  and  death  of  Jesus  Christ.  No 
glimmer  of  light  seemed  to  come  to  them  from 
anywhere.  There  was  not  even  a  star  to  peer 
over  the  edge  of  darkness  to  show  that  all  was 
well  beyond.  It  was  as  though  an  awful  storm 
had  swept  the  earth  clean,  and  these  two  forlorn 
mortals  were  groping  in  the  darkness  in  search 
of  a  spear  of  grass,  a  faded  rose,  or  even  a  bent 
and  broken  tree,  a  straying  animal  or  a  mortal 
man.  All  things  of  worth  were  in  the  past  to 
them,  for  they  said :  "  We  had  hoped  it  had 
been  He  which  should  have  redeemed  Israel." 

But  look;  suddenly  there  came  to  them  a 
glorious  light.  It  shone  straight  from  heaven, 
it  gleamed  by  their  side,  it  lighted  the  whole 
earth.  It  was  Jesus  Christ  the  Son  of  Righteous- 
ness. But  they  saw  it  not  for  their  eyes  were 
holden,  blinded,  bedimmed,  by  their  doubt.  They 
were  as  men  in  a  dark  and  gloomy  cave,  who 
294 


The  Ever  Present  Christ  295 

^^wu^^'J"  ^^''  ^""^  '""  "^^^^"^>  ^"d  then  say: 
Why  does  not  the  day  dawn?"  Then  some 
one  takes  them  by  the  hand  and  leads  them  out 
into  the  Hght,  for  the  sun  is  shining  in  all  his 
glory,  and  a  world  of  wonder  bursts  upon  the 
view  So  when  Christ  led  these  disciples  into 
the  hght  they  were  entranced  with  the  view  of 
mortal  life  spread  before  them. 

So  our  eyes  are  opened  and  we  are  fascinated 
with  the  view  of  the 

I.  Ever  present  Christ. 

There  He  was,  and  they  knew  it  not.  This  has 
always  been  His  method  of  coming  to  us.  If  man 
could  create  a  flower,  he  would  put  a  mark  upon 
It  which  would  say:  ''I  made  this/'  If  man 
could  create  an  oak  he  would  write  his  name  upon 
every  leaf  that  all  passers-by  might  know  the 
author. 

But  when  God  makes  a  flower  He  hides  Him- 
self in  the  beauty  of  colour  and  sweetness  of  per- 
fume which  delight  the  senses;  and  says  by  the 
thorn  to  the  man  who  would  pluck  it,  "  Have  a 
care,  how  you  use  this." 

When  God  makes  an  oak.  He  stands  by  it 
throughout  the  years  (for  by  His  will  alone  it 
can  live)  and  when  the  woodman  comes  to  fell 
the  tree,  He  is  there  in  the  strength  of  fibre,  to 
say  to  the  man  who  deals  the  sturdy  blows,  "  Be- 
ware what  you  do  with  this." 

When  God  creates  a  human  being,  He  follows 


296       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

fast  and  far  after  that  hfe,  in  Jerusalem,  in  the 
temple,  in  the  market  place,  anywhere  to  pro- 
tect and  keep.  Yes  He  follows  even  through  the 
darkest  trials,  through  the  "  valley  and  shadow," 
which  lies  at  the  outer  border  of  this  life  to  gild 
with  the  brightness  of  His  glory,  and  to  keep  by 
the  might  of  His  power.  All  over  the  world  this 
is  true,  ''  Jesus  Himself  drew  near  and  went  with 
them.''  And  no  wonder,  for  He  heard  them 
speak  His  name.  Did  you  ever  hear  your  name 
spoken  in  the  great  throng,  or  on  the  lonely  high- 
way? Then  you  were  all  alertness.  Did  you 
come  near  and  listen?  Then  you  heard  with  at- 
tention. And  you  followed  and  learned  what  they 
said  of  you.  Christ  heard  them  speak  of  His 
prophetic  history,  of  His  birth,  of  His  life,  and 
of  His  death.  Like  a  stranger  He  entered  into 
conversation.  As  a  mother  sometimes  quietly  goes 
into  the  nursery  and  hears  the  children  talk  of 
her,  so  Christ  Himself  draws  near  and  walks  with 
each  of  us  by  day  and  night,  in  sunshine  and  in 
shadow,  in  heat  and  in  cold.  Unseen  to  us  He 
goes  with  us  through  all  the  trials  of  life  and 
places  over  every  dark  event  and  even  over  the 
grave,  the  never  failing  light  of  eternal  life;  for 
"  Jesus  Himself  drew  near  and  went  with  them." 
Yes,  He  is  the  ever  present  Christ,  for  He  has 
said :  "  I  will  never  leave  thee  nor  forsake 
thee." 

We   went   far   into  the  catacombs   of   Rome, 
away  from  the  light,  and  out  of  the  beaten  paths. 


The  Ever  Present  Christ  297 

We  saw  the  strange  inscriptions  which  only  the 
taper  revealed,  and  then  we  looked  about  for  the 
guide,  but  could  not  see  him.  We  began  to  fear 
that  we  were  lost,  but  just  at  that  instant  the 
guide  came  up  to  us  and  we  knew  we  were  safe. 
So  all  through  that  dark  journey  the  guide  never 
left  us  for  an  instant.  How  often  this  has  hap- 
pened to  us  in  life's  journey !  We  have  thought 
we  were  left  alone,  especially  in  the  moments  of 
our  trials  and  bereavements;  when,  behold,  the 
great  Guide  of  our  lives  stands  forth  and  says: 
*'  It  is  I,  be  not  afraid,"  "  I  will  never  leave  thee, 
nor  forsake  thee." 

A  Jewish  legend  tells  how,  when  the  three 
children  were  flung  into  the  furnace,  the  Prince 
of  Hail  came  to  God  and  said,  *'  Lord  of  the  uni- 
verse, let  me  go  and  cool  the  furnace ; "  but  Ga- 
briel, the  archangel,  started  up  and  said,  "  Nay, 
for  all  men  know  that  hail  quenches  fire;  but  I, 
the  Prince  of  Fire,  will  go  down  and  make  the 
flame  cool  within  to  save  the  boys,  and  hot  with- 
out to  slay  the  executioners,  and  will  perform  a 
miracle  within  a  miracle ; "  and  the  Holy  One 
said,  "  Go  down."  And  in  the  Song  of  the  Three 
Holy  Children  in  the  Apochrypha  we  read  how 
the  angel  of  the  Lord  moved  in  the  midst  of  the 
furnace  as  it  had  been  a  moist,  whistling  wind, 
so  that  the  fire  touched  them  not  at  all,  nor  hurt 
nor  troubled  them,  for  He  beat  back  the  fierce 
flames  with  His  dewy  v/ings. 

This  is  a  beautiful  story ;  but  it  misses  the  truth 


298       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

somewhat,  for  the  record  in  Daniel  tells  us  that 
it  was  the  Son  of  God  who  walked  with  the  three 
Hebrews,  as  he  walked  in  later  day  with  the  two 
on  their  way  to  Emmaus.  So  He  walks  with  us 
all  through  the  varied  courses  of  life,  and  espe- 
cially does  He  come  forth  to  manifest  Himself  in 
the  fiery  trials. 

A  quiet  and  thoughtful  boy  once  engaged  to 
work  for  a  man.  He  was  specially  proficient  in 
all  he  did.  His  employer  watched  him  carefully 
to  see  what  was  the  secret  of  his  proficiency.  He 
noticed  that  the  boy  often  turned  over  his  coat 
lapel  to  gaze  upon  something;  and  on  investiga- 
tion he  found  that  the  boy  had  there  a  picture 
of  his  mother,  whose  presence  and  power  never 
left  him.  She  was  his  inspiration  and  the  power 
of  his  life.  Far  truer  is  it  of  us  that  He  who  will 
never  leave  us  nor  forsake  us,  has  also  said, 
*'  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee." 

What  a  wonderful  comfort  to  us  all  that  Christ 
is  always  with  us,  guiding  us  by  His  wisdom,  and 
keeping  us  in  His  love.  How  beautifully  this  is 
told  in  the  twenty-third  psalm,  and  the  sixth 
verse.  "  Surely  goodness  and  mercy  shall  follow 
me  all  the  days  of  my  life ;  and  I  will  dwell  in 
the  house  of  the  Lord  for  ever."  Some  one  says, 
"A  striking  figure  underlies  these  words;  a  no- 
mad chieftain,  in  his  desert  encampment,  sur- 
rounded by  retainers ;  a  fugitive  appealing  for 
protection;  the  sheik  welcoming  him  to  his  tent 
and  feasting  him  while  his  baffled  enemies  look 


The  Ever  Present  Christ  299 

on.  Thus  the  psalmist  finds  an  asylum  in  Jeho- 
vah's tent ;  his  pursuers  drop  off  one  by  one  until 
he  sees  about  him  only  the  friendly  retainers  of 
his  Host.  He  cries,  **  Only  Goodness  and  Mercy 
shall  pursue  me  all  the  days  of  my  life."  The 
word  "  pursue  "  is  generally  used  in  the  sense 
of  hostile  pursuit,  but  in  this  case  the  character 
of  the  pursuers  disarms  fear.  Bedawin  hospital- 
ity knew  no  stint  within  a  three  days'  limit ;  Jeho- 
vah's knows  no  limit;  "  And  I  will  dwell  in  the 
house  of  Jehovah  (i.  e.,  I  shall  be  his  guest) 
forever." 

Every  Christian  for  years  has  sung,  and  rightly 
too. 

"  Nearer  my  God  to  Thee, 
Nearer  to  Thee." 

And  while  we  sing  this  grand  old  hymn,  let  us 
recall  that.  He  is  ever  coming  nearer  to  us  in  all 
events  of  life,  for  He  is  the  ever  present  Christ. 

11.  What  Christ  will  do  for  us,  if  we  listen 
TO  Him  and  invite  Him  in. 
Christ's  mission  is  one  of  companionship.  This 
goes  beyond  the  mere  sacrifice  of  His  life.  If  it 
were  not  so  He  never  would  have  appeared  to  the 
disciples  on  this  journey.  His  presence  is  not 
that  of  idle  curiosity;  for  He  opens  to  us  the 
Scriptures.  O  what  a  blessing,  for  one  of  the 
first  elements  of  companionship  is  that  of  conver- 
sation, improvement,  knowledge.  O  how  puzzled 
we  were  at  first  with  the  Greek  Grammar !    How 


300       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

strange  the  letters  looked,  and  how  formidable 
seemed  the  declensions  of  the  nouns,  and  conju- 
gations of  the  verbs.  We  were  utterly  be- 
wildered, but  that  room-mate  who  had  been 
through  it  all,  how  wisely  he  opened  to  us  the 
knowledge  that  seemed  to  us  so  hidden!  How 
we  leaned  on  him,  asking  him  all  the  things  we 
did  not  understand.  We  could  never  have  suc- 
ceeded without  him.  How  strangely  dark  all 
things  seemed  to  these  two  disciples,  and  how 
they  needed  the  ever-present  Christ  to  tell  them 
the  infinite  truth  of  God.  We  can  not  succeed 
without  Him. 

One  day  a  pale-faced  little  girl  walked  hur- 
riedly into  a  book-store  in  Annasburg,  and  said 
to  the  man  serving  at  the  counter : 

"  Please,  sir,  I  want  a  book  that's  got  '  Suffer 
little  children  to  come  unto  me,'  in  it,  and  how 
much  is  it,  sir?  and  I'm  in  a  great  hurry." 

The  shopman  bent  down  and  dusted  his  spec- 
tacles. "  And  suppose  I  haven't  the  book  you 
want,  what  then,  my  dear  ?  " 

"  O,  sir,  I  shall  be  so  sorry ;  I  want  it  so !  "  and 
the  little  voice  trembled  at  there  being  a  chance 
of  disappointment. 

The  kind  shopman  took  the  thin  hand  of  his 
small  customer  in  his  own.  "  Will  you  be  so  very 
sad  without  the  book;  and  why  are  you  in  such 
a  hurry?" 

"  Well,  sir,  you  see,  I  went  to  school  one  Sab- 
bath when  Mrs.  West,  one  who  takes  care  of  me, 


The  Ever  Present  Christ  301 

was  away ;  and  teacher  read  about  a  Good  Shep- 
herd who  said  those  words,  and  about  a  beautiful 
place  where  He  takes  care  of  His  children,  and  I 
want  to  go  there.  I'm  so  tired  of  being  where 
there's  nobody  to  care  for  a  little  girl  like  me, 
only  Mrs.  West,  who  says  I'd  be  better  dead  than 
alive." 

"  But  why  are  you  in  such  a  hurry?  " 

"  My  cough's  getting  so  bad  now,  sir,  and  I 
want  to  know  all  about  Him  before  I  die ;  it  'u'd 
be  so  strange  to  see  Him  and  not  to  know  Him. 
Besides,  if  Mrs.  West  knew  I  was  here  she'd  take 
away  the  six  cents  I've  saved  running  messages 
to  buy  the  book  with,  so  I'm  in  a  hurry  to  get 
served." 

The  bookseller  wiped  his  glasses  very  vigor- 
ously this  time,  and  lifting  a  book  from  ofif  the 
shelf,  he  said :  ''  I'll  find  the  words  you  want, 
my  little  girl;  come  and  listen." 

Then  he  heard  the  words  of  the  loving  Saviour 
(Luke  xviii:i6),  and  told  her  how  the  Good 
Shepherd  had  got  a  home  all  light  and  rest  and 
love  prepared  for  those  who  love  Him  and  serve 
Him. 

"  O,  how  lovely !  "  was  the  half-breathless  ex- 
clamation of  the  eager  little  buyer. 

"  And  He  says,  *  Come.'  I'll  go  to  Him.  How 
long  do  you  think  it  may  be,  sir,  before  I  see 
Him?" 

"  Not  long,  perhaps,"  said  the  shopkeeper,  turn- 
ing away  his  head.     "You  keep  the  six  cents, 


302       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

and  come  here  every  day,  while  I  read  you  more 
out  of  this  book." 

Thanking  him,  the  small  child  hurried  away. 
To-morrow  came,  and  another  morrow,  and  many 
days  passed,  but  the  little  girl  never  came  to 
hear  about  Jesus  again.  One  day  a  loud-voiced, 
untidy  woman  ran  into  the  shop  saying,  ''  Dixey's 
dead !  She  died  rambling  about  some  Good  Shep- 
herd, and  she  said  you  was  to  have  these  six  cents 
for  the  mission  box  at  school.  As  I  don't  like  to 
keep  dead  men's  money,  here  it  is,"  and  she  ran 
out  of  the  shop.  The  six  cents  went  into  the  box ; 
and  when  the  story  of  Dixey  was  told,  so  many 
followed  her  example  with  their  cents  that  at  the 
end  of  the  year  "  Dixey's  cents,"  as  they  were 
called,  were  found  to  be  sufficient  to  send  out  a 
missionary  to  China  to  bring  stranger-sheep  to 
the  Good  Shepherd. 

So  Christ  has  come  to  be  the  teacher  and  guide 
of  life,  to  open  to  us  the  Scriptures  as  well  as  to 
open  before  us  all  the  possibilities  of  life. 

Charles  James  Fox,  of  England,  had  not  the 
blessings  of  good  home  training ;  but,  this  misfor- 
tune was  in  large  measure  remedied  by  his  asso- 
ciation with  the  great  Edmund  Burke.  He  once 
said  in  public  that  if  he  were  to  put  together  into 
one  scale  all  political  information  which  he  had 
gathered,  all  the  knowledge  he  h^d  gained  from 
science,  and  all  that  he  had  learned  in  the  affairs 
of  the  world,  and  into  the  other  the  benefit  he  had 
derived  from  his  companionship  with  Mr.  Burke, 


The  Ever  Present  Christ  303 

he  should  be  at  a  loss  to  which  to  give  the  prefer- 
ence. 

Was  it  not  even  better  with  the  two  who 
walked  to  Emmaus  that  day,  and  is  it  not  better 
with  all  who  will  hear  the  divine  voice?  For 
however  much  wisdom  and  knowledge  we  have 
we  will  still  need  the  personal  power  of  Him  who 
walked  with  the  two  disciples  on  the  way  to  Em- 
maus. He  alone  can  open  to  us  the  Scripture. 
Paul  emphasizes  this  general  truth  when  he  says. 
"  1  count  all  things  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of 
Christ." 

Emerson  once  said  that  "  our  chief  want  in 
life  is  somebody  who  shall  make  us  do  what  we 
can.  This  is  the  service  of  a  friend.  With  him 
we  are  easily  great.  There  is  a  sublime  attrac- 
tion in  him,  to  whatever  virtue  is  in  us.  How  he 
flings  wide  open  the  door  of  existence!  What 
questions  we  ask  him.    It  is  the  only  real  society." 

There  is  only  one  thing  lacking  in  these  beau- 
tiful words  of  the  great  essayist,  and  that  is  the 
mention  of  Christ  as  this  friend.  For  He  is  the 
friend  who  "  sticketh  closer  than  a  brother." 

How  beautiful  is  this  divine  companionship. 
It  provides  for  every  condition  and  against  every 
need.  It  took  care  of  these  two  discouraged  dis- 
ciples, and  can  easily  care  for  everyone. 

A  little  girl  and  her  baby  brother  were 
playing  on  the  track  of  the  Pennsylvania  Rail- 
road, in  the  Horseshoe  Curve.  Just  as  the  en- 
gine of  a  long  passenger  train  made  the  turn,  the 


304       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

engineer  saw  the  children.  The  shriek  of  the 
whistle  startled  the  girl,  and  every  eye  looking 
over  could  see  them.  Close  to  the  rail,  in  the 
upright  rock  was  a  little  niche  out  of  which  a 
piece  of  rock  had  been  blasted.  In  an  instant  the 
baby  had  been  thrust  into  this  niche;  and  as  the 
cars  came  thundering  by,  the  passengers,  holding 
their  breath,  heard  the  clear  voice  of  the  little 
sister  ring  out :  "  Cling  close  to  the  rock, 
Johnny !     Cling  close  to  the  rock !  " 

And  the  little  creature  snuggled  in  and  put  his 
head  as  close  to  the  rock  as  possible,  while  the 
heavy  cars  went  by. 

"Cling  close  to  the  Rock,"  is  the  warning 
given  to  each  one  of  us.    Are  we  heeding  it? 

Yes,  He  is  our  companion,  to  teach,  and  shield 
and  guard  and  defend. 

III.  But  v^^hat  were  they  doing  for  Him,  for 

COMPANIONSHIP    HAS    TWO    SIDES. 

They  invited  Him  into  their  hearts  and  homes. 
He  came  as  any  ordinary  traveller  would  come. 
He  asked  no  favours,  no  note  of  introduction,  no 
special  privilege.  He  entered  through  the  same 
door  by  which  all  other  friends  came. 

It  was  a  habit  of  their  life  to  invite  a  stranger 
in. 

There  is  no  one  who  will  enter  your  home 
without  an  invitation,  unless  he  be  a  thief,  and 
Christ  will  not  break  this  rule  for  any  human 


The  Ever  Present  Christ  305 

being.  He  will  not  dishonour  the  will  of  any 
man,  or  burst  open  the  barred  door  of  any  heart. 
He  will  rather  make  as  though  He  would  go  fur- 
ther, or  if  not  invited  in  He  will  go  on  His  way. 
Therefore  let  us  stand  by  the  door  and  watch 
for  His  coming.  Send  out  hope  to  meet  Him 
upon  the  way  to  invite  this  King  to  enter  the 
home  of  your  soul.  Send  out  joy  to  sing  the 
triumphal  march,  as  He  comes  in  all  His  majesty 
and  grandeur.  Send  love  into  the  home  to  make 
ready  for  His  coming.  Send  forth  loyalty  to  cry 
out  "  Come  in,  O  King  and  rule  forever  in  my 
heart." 

"  Saviour,  Saviour,  hear  my  humble  cry, 
While  on  others  Thou  art  calling, 
Do  not  pass  me  by." 

Shall  we  let  the  two  weary  travellers  on  the 
rough  Judean  hills  outdo  us  ?    Rather  let  us  say, 

''  Come  in,  O  Thou  blessed  Christ  of  God." 

But  when  Christ  is  once  in  the  heart  and  home, 
what  then?  Entertainment  must  be  provided. 
They  spread  the  feast  for  Him,  but  He  soon 
showed  that  it  was  not  His  body,  but  His  soul 
that  was  hungry,  and  nineteen  hundred  years 
have  made  no  change  in  Him. 

It  was  a  hungry  God  who  walked  those  six 
miles  and  a  half  with  those  two  disciples.  He 
was  hungry  for  their  love,  for  their  loyalty,  for 
their  lives.    As  soon  as  they  knew  Him,  He  had 


3o6       The  Message  of  To-Morrow 

His  immortal  hold  upon  them.  Hence,  they  went 
to  Jerusalem  or  wherever  He  chose. 

Why  did  He  go  and  sit  over  against  the  treas- 
ury in  the  Temple  and  watch  those  who  put 
money  in?  Because  He  was  a  hungry  God — 
needing  the  means  of  advancing  His  kingdom. 
He  needed  human  hearts  to  help  Him.  He  saw 
the  woman  with  two  mites  and  was  pleased. 
Above  all  other  things  God  hungers  for  the 
means  by  which  His  work  may  be  carried  on. 
Governments  manage  their  affairs  at  great  cost, 
and  why  should  it  be  thought  strange  that  God 
should  be  treated  fairly,  inasmuch  as  He  is  infin- 
itely more  necessary  to  us  than  any  government? 
God  is  too  often  made  a  beggar. 

It  was  a  strange  event  in  history  that  brought 
Henry  IV.  to  the  door  of  the  Pope  of  Rome, 
where  for  three  da3^s  he  was  denied  admission, 
and  where  he  had  to  do  penance  in  the  cold  of 
winter  until  the  Pope  was  pleased  to  admit  him. 
A  king,  as  a  suppliant,  waiting  for  days!  And 
yet  the  scene  in  many  a  life  is  the  same,  except 
that  it  is  the  King  of  Heaven,  who  waits  and 
waits  for  us. 

The  two  disciples  on  the  way  to  Emmaus,  had 
the  same  King  with  them,  and  happy  were  they 
because  they  invited  Him  in  to  be  their  guest. 
And  happy  are  all  who  thus  honour  Him,  for  He 
gives  the  everlasting  joy  of  His  constant  pres- 
ence, purchased  by  His  infinite  love. 


The  Ever  Present  Christ  307 

Love  strong  as  death,  nay  stronger, 
Love  mightier  than  the  p^rave ; 

Broad  as  the  earth,  and  longer 
Than  the  ocean's  widest  wave; 

This  is  the  love  that  sought  us, 

This  is  the  love  that  bought  us, 

This  is  the  love  that  brought  us 

To  the  gladdest  day  from  saddest  night. 
From  deepest  shame  to  glory  bright. 
From  depths  of  death  to  life's  fair  height, 
From  darkness  to  the  joy  of  light. 


INDEX 


Adams,  Gen,,  264 
Age,  120 
Aguinaldo,  98 
Alps,  150 
Architect,  27,  69 
Atlanta,  155 

Baltimore,  258 
Bartimeus,  55 
Benevolence,  36 
Bible,  29,  63,  87,   108,  III, 

117,  119 
Blind,  53 
Brain,  197 
Bridge,  60 
Business,  158 

Cain,  118 

Calvary,  201 

Captives,  51 

Care,  God's,  203,  204 

Catacombs,  53 

Certainty,  83 

Christ,  12,  13,  15,  20,  25,  34» 
46,  55,  57,  66,  76,  81,  120, 
148,  159,  160,  163,  165, 
183,  189,  251,  254,  262, 
263,  277,  294,  296,  305, 
307 


Christianity,  21,  23,  48,  83, 

150,  268,  288 
Choice,  91 

Church,  63,  64,  157,  182 
Columbus,  Christopher,  156, 

173,  174 
Commerce,  41 
Conditions,  266,  267 
Conscience,  29,  30,  73 
Conversion,  176 
Cranmer,  276 
Creed,  83 
Cuba,  97 

Daniel,    31,    121,    281,    282, 

289,  290,  296,  298 
Darius,  31 
Discovery,  21,  45 
Doubters,  289 

Eden,  124,  188,  196 

Eiffel  Tower,  11 1 

Elijah,  205 

Emancipation  Proclama- 
tion, 264 

Eternity,  112,  113 

Everlasting  life,  112,  113, 
114,  117,  119,  250 

309 


3IO 


Index 


Father,  211,  212 
Future,  117,  124 

Garrison,  W.  L.,  200 

Gideon,  34 

Gladstone,  171 

God,  52,  60,  62,  64,  65,  70, 

77,  88,   89,   90,    103.    123, 

128,    129,    177,    205,    206, 

295 
Gospel,  70,  71,  78,  81,  83,  84, 

138,    140,    141,    142,    143, 

148 

Holy  Spirit,  34,  41 

Immortality,  119,  147 
Infidelity,  29,  143 

Judgment,  109,  no,  195 
Justice,  93,  94,  95 
Justly,  193,  195 

Kaiser,  147.  148 
King,  131,  147 

Lee,  Gen.  R.  E.,  70 

Le  Verrier,  62,  63 

Life,  14,  19,  77,  80,  83,  87, 
89,  90,  102,  104,  105,  106, 
115,  123,  152,  161,  168, 
171,   253,  256 

Lincoln,  Abraham,  199 

Man,  24,  25,  26,  54,  67 
Menelik,  259 


Manila,  98,  204 

Menyana,  13 

Mercy,  95,  96,  98,  99,   196, 

197 
Milton,  54,  178 
Mirror,  108,  283 
Missions.  34.  69 
Moody,  D.  L.,  189,  292 
Moses,  22,  170 
Mother,   137,   178,  183,  186, 

298 

Napoleon,  151,  152 
Nathanael,    12,    14,    16,   21, 

22,  24,  26 
Neptune,  62,  63 
Niagara,  136,  172,  273 
Nicodemus,    51,    138,    139, 

145,  146,  147,  149 

Oneness,  42,  43 

Parthenon,  26 

Paul,    52,    56,   6z,   77,    115, 

124,  126,  143,  189 
Peace,  126,  130.  131,  132 
Pentecost,  39 
Phidias,  26,  27 
Philadelphia,  29,  271 
Pleiad,  11,  12,  20,  23 
Power,   35,   40,   41,   72,   82, 

113,  114 
Prayer,  279,  280,  284,  290 

Ransom,  252,  260,  261 
Revelation,  18,  20 


Index 

Sacrifice.  58.  257,  258  Victoria,  162,  201 

Salvation,  76,  77,  79,  92  Virginia,  11,  69 
Science,  21 

Shaw,  Judge,  93  Year,  56,  57,  59 

Sin,  75,  154  Youth,  100,  103,  no 


311 


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